National Food Agency cites European Commission’s “positive assessment” of aflatoxin control in Georgian hazelnuts

The National Food Agency of Georgia on Wednesday said the European Commission had “positively assessed” the state system for controlling presence of aflatoxins - a various poisonous carcinogens and mutagens produced by certain moulds - in Georgian hazelnuts, Azernews reports, citing Agenda.

The Agency cited an audit by representatives of the Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, responsible for the monitoring and implementation of European Union policies and laws on health and food safety, from between September and October.

The body said the representatives were provided with “appropriate documentation and information” on the procedures carried out within the control system and presented a “complete chain” of inspection of products intended for export, with the officials assessing the effectiveness of the system at the central and regional levels.

It also said the group of specialists of the Agency had developed and submitted an action plan based on the auditors' recommendations, which was then approved by the representatives of the Directorate.

The “positive evaluation” of the latter will facilitate the export of Georgian hazelnuts to the European market without “additional procedures and delays”, the body added.