Food

What health risks are there in transporting peanuts?

Depending on where your peanuts are imported from, there is a risk of contamination by aflatoxins. These are a family of fungi that grow in warm and wet conditions, as is common in countries which grow peanuts.

If your shipment of peanuts has been contaminated, then the journey overseas creates the ideal conditions for the aflatoxins to grow.

What does Koornstra & Co do?

Koornstra is an importer and exporter of fruit and vegetables. We deliver the goods where they are needed at the right time within our market area, according to JIT – Just-in-time method. That is where our strength lies because we can easily respond to customer requirements.

In this article, we’ll explain how customs processes and regulations protect your health so you can enjoy your Halloween treats without worry.

Clearing fresh pumpkin through customs

Pumpkin is the most traded squash in the world, particularly in the lead-up to the spooky season.

The industry has grown by approximately 20.7% in the last five years, with a value of USD 1.28 billion traded in 2017 and USD 1.55 billion traded in 2021.

Accounting for 73% of trade in 2021, the following five countries are the world’s leading suppliers of pumpkins:

Find out about how your Christmas shop can be affected in this article.

Reduced sailings from China

Inflation and the cost-of-living crisis have left companies and individuals with fewer funds this year, forcing businesses to review how much stock they are purchasing.

Additionally, China’s “zero-Covid” policy has meant overnight lockdowns for industrial areas and ports over the last two years, causing shipment delays. Coupled with congestion in Europe in 2021, also caused by lockdowns, many importers did not receive their goods in time for Christmas.

The new rules, which were due to come into effect on the 1st of October 2022, will now be required from 1st January 2024. This is so that importers have more time to gain clarity on their obligations.

But what are these new regulations, and what should you do now they are delayed? Find out in this article:

A UK address for the food business operator (FBO)

From 1st January 2024, a UK FBO address must be shown on the labelling or the packaging when importing foodstuffs into the UK. This is either:

The European Union has rules and regulations in place to determine whether products are considered to be organic. Products must conform to equivalent standards to those produced in the European Union. The European Union has agreements with countries that have standards and control measures that are equivalent to those of the European Union. Most inspections and certifications are done in the Country of Origin in these cases.