Portuguese authorities have seized a number of food products in recent months, including meat, fish, dietary supplements and olive oil.
Earlier this month, the Food and Economic Safety Authority (ASAE), aided by the National Republican Guard (GNR), seized 8.5 tonnes of fresh frozen octopus from Spain in the city of Olón.
Authorities found that the operator was not properly registered with the Food and Veterinary Authority (DGAV) and did not have the necessary documentation to ensure product traceability.
Also in March, the Regional Division of ASAE seized 4,200 packs of dietary supplements worth an estimated €16,800 ($17,800) from an importer in the city of Sintra.
This action was taken because an unauthorized substance was added to the dietary supplement. Iron oxide is not listed as an approved iron source in EU regulated supplements.
Portugal became aware of this problem after the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notification was issued by the Estonian authorities in December 2022. Related products were also distributed in Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Latvia.
busy february
In February, an ASAE regional unit visited a catering facility and food storage warehouse in Barreiro. They found food unsuitable for human consumption and destroyed it.
A total of 900 kilograms (1,980 pounds) of meat, fish and other animal-derived food products were found with an estimated value of €10,000 ($10,600). Operations have been suspended until the violation is corrected.
Earlier this month, ASAE dismantled an illegal jam and sauce manufacturing unit in Agueda. Police officers had been making fruit jams and sauces in the house’s garage, but discovered that the operators were unlicensed and sanitary.
Some products manufactured on the site were already detained by the authorities in Mealhada supermarkets because they were sold to the public with fraudulent labeling.
Another operation by the National Republican Guard in Mealhada seized 2.3 tons of meat products.
Police officers intercepted a vehicle transporting pork from a slaughterhouse in Santarém to a cutting room in Macedo de Cavaleiros. Diverted to cleaning in an approved area after discovering meat on the floor. It was also revealed that there was a problem with the temperature recording device installed in the vehicle, and that the temperature of the meat was not being accurately controlled.
Meat and olive oil business
In late January, ASAE blocked more than 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) of meat products at Beja cold stores. The agency found pork, sheep, and beef unsuitable for human consumption, so it stopped putting them on the market and sent the product to be scrapped.
In the same month, ASAE unveiled the results of Operation Talhos, which was intended to verify butcher compliance.
A total of 232 businesses have been inspected and 43 administrative proceedings have been initiated. Among the problems included poor hygiene and non-adherence to technical standards in the distribution, preparation and sale of meat and meat products. Lack of records, inaccurate or incomplete records, and non-compliance with expiration dates. In all, 525 kilograms (1,160 pounds) of meat products were seized and three establishments were shut down.
In December, ASAE’s local unit found 73,000 liters of counterfeit olive oil in Portalegre.
The operators were suspected of putting what they believed to be olive pomace oil into thousands of containers labeled extra virgin olive oil, packaging them and sending them to domestic and international markets.
Criminal proceedings were initiated for fraud. In addition to counterfeit oil, 116,000 labels and various documents were seized. The value of the seized goods was almost €800,000 ($850,000).
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