The European Union's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) has issued a new health alert, following the discovery of Echinococcus (fish-parasitic worms) in hake from Morocco during border controls in Spain. According to Spanish media, Spanish authorities immediately withdrew the product from the market, though they are unsure if other batches are still on sale. The European organization considered the issue serious and stated that the hake containing these worms came from Morocco. However, adhering to their usual confidentiality policy, they did not disclose the final destination of the product or the specific border crossing where the parasite was discovered. A month ago, another alert was issued after residues of the pesticide «chlorpyrifos» were detected above permitted levels in melons coming from Morocco. During February and March, the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed also issued a warning about a shipment of strawberries from Morocco bound for Spain, sparking protests from Spanish farmers worried about competition. After verification, Morocco's National Office of Health Safety announced negative results for hepatitis A and norovirus, confirming that the irrigation water in the field where the strawberries were grown was free of any contamination. For its part, the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture announced that it reserves the right to take legal action against the continued spread of misinformation regarding the alleged contamination of Moroccan strawberries with the hepatitis A virus.
