Global trade: is the European Union ready to manage the potential risks of ethnic food?

The European Union has established a rigorous system to control food imported from third countries and ensure consumer safety. However, the illegal trade in prohibited food items remains a significant issue. Non-compliant food, often counterfeited through false labeling, can bypass checks at border inspection points, choosing the least monitored entry points. These products pose a threat to public health, as they may contain products of animal origin, undeclared allergens, or come from unauthorized facilities. A recent example is the investigation initiated by the monitoring plan, which uncovered the illicit trade of food of animal origin in some ethnic shops. The Local Health Authority Naples 1 Center carried out extensive inspections of commercial establishments, finding that some foods labeled as wheat- or soy-based snacks were, in fact, prohibited food items from China. The Italian labels reported false information, hiding the real composition of the products. The operation led to the seizure of tons of food, including fish products and difficult-to-identify foods. The analysis detected undeclared allergens and, in some cases, traces of the African swine fever virus, although inactive. Following these discoveries, the Directorate General for Food Safety launched a program of coordinated controls at national level to combat illegal trade. This episode highlights the need to use advanced technologies and strengthen national and international collaboration to protect consumers.