April 1998   Volume IV, No. 1

IMPORT OF PISTACHIOS originating in or consigned from Iran was temporarily suspended by the European Commission from September 8-December 15, 1997 (97/ 613/EC). This decision resulted from reports from The Netherlands which demonstrated that lots were frequently contaminated with high amounts of aflatoxin (up to 400 ppb). Investigations in other European countries confirmed these findings. From September 26-October 3, 1997 an EC mission team was sent to Iran in order to verify whether Iranian authorities were in a position to offer future guarantees which would permit the establishment of special conditions in place of the suspension of imports.

The mission team consisted of Dr. W. Penning (DGXXIV, Head of the mission team), Dr. J. Gennatas (DGXXIV), and Dr. M. Olsen (National Food Administration, Sweden), who visited 9 pistachio processing plants. All companies used a processing line which was based on the same principle: dehulling; air or water flotation; washing with running water; semi-drying; scalper; eye sorting; pin pick; final drying in hot air at 70°C for 6 hrs. The main conclusions of the EC mission team were: 1) Only the laboratory of the Ministry of Health showed sufficient quality assurance to deliver certificates for export, 2) The pistachio growers and processors should set up a system to increase traceability of the primary production, 3) Processing plants shall not use recycled water in the process line, 4) Avoid processing "early splits" and other damaged pistachios. Better working conditions should increase the quality of the sorting, 5) Measurements of humidity should be performed to determine the end of the drying process, 6) Hygienic conditions of transport of the processed pistachios should be improved. A full report can be found at www.europa.eu.int/en/comm/dg24/Iranfin. html. Contact: Dr. Penning, European Commission, DG XXIV, 200 Rue de la Loi, 1049 Brussels, Belgium.

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