Pistachio shock this time... Carcinogenic substance detected: Sent back to Turkey!

According to the European Commission's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) data, pistachios exported from Turkey were sent back by Greece.

The reason is that the Aflatoxin B1 level in the pistachios was found to be approximately 3 times the permitted amount. In other words, a high amount of a carcinogenic substance was detected in the pistachios.

In the EU Commission's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), 94 different banned substances or excessive dosages were detected in 487 food products exported from Turkey in 2024.

According to the data newly entered into the system, analyses conducted by authorities during border controls in Greece found that the Aflatoxin B1 level in the pistachios from Turkey was approximately 3 times the permitted amount.

According to the report by Sputnik, while the permitted upper limit for Aflatoxin B1 is 8 micrograms/kilogram, the value detected in the analyses was measured at 25.7 [5.9] micrograms/kilogram. While the limit set for the total amount of aflatoxin is 10 micrograms/kilogram, it was reported that according to the test results, this amount reached the level of 49.7 [8.4] micrograms/kilogram.

IT HAD BEEN REVEALED TO BE A CARCINOGENIC SUBSTANCE

It is defined as a harmful component of a fungus called Aspergillus flavus. It is a substance that has been revealed by the World Health Organization to be a very serious carcinogen for humans and animals. The substances in which it is most commonly found are peanuts, cotton, and soy.