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🍎 Food DE AT FR IT UKRAINE August 12, 2021

Arecolin in betel nuts from Italy

Classification
Alert notification
Risk
Serious
Category
nuts, nut products and seeds
Hazard
Acacia rigidula unauthorised - {GMO / novel food}
Origin
Italy
Notifier
Germany
🗄
Archived (older alert)
This alert was reported 1752 days ago and has been moved from our active feed to the archive. The original safety information still applies — we have no confirmation from the issuing agency that the product is safe again. Refer to the official notice for the current status.
📈 Timeline
0 days in total
May 17, 2026 May 17, 2026
Daily snapshot data starts accumulating once the scheduler runs — for now this is interpolated from the agency's first/last dates.

What is this? Betel nuts from Italy may contain a plant called Acacia rigidula. This plant is not allowed in food in the EU.

What's happening? Germany found this plant in betel nuts from Italy. The nuts are being checked and may be recalled.

Does this affect me? If you bought betel nuts from Italy, you might be affected. This does not include regular nuts.

What should I do? Stop eating the nuts. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you feel unwell.

🤖 This plain-language summary is automatically generated from the official agency notice using AI. It is for general information only — not medical advice. For decisions about your health, always consult a pharmacist or doctor and read the official source linked below.

🔬 Medical / technical details (for professionals)
Agency-published detail

Classification: Alert notification · Risk: Serious · Category: nuts, nut products and seeds · Hazard: Acacia rigidula unauthorised - {GMO / novel food} · Origin: Italy · Notifier: Germany

First published
August 12, 2021
Last refreshed by us
1 week ago
Severity (as classified)
High
Official source
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/rasff-window/screen/search?notificationReference=2021.4322

All information on this page comes from the official agency notice. We translate and summarise it; we don't add or edit facts.

Related alerts

❓ Frequently asked questions

What is this product recall alert about?
Arecolin in betel nuts from Italy. Classification: Alert notification · Risk: Serious · Category: nuts, nut products and seeds · Hazard: Acacia rigidula unauthorised - {GMO / novel food} · Origin: Italy · Notifier: Germany
When was this alert issued?
This alert was issued on August 12, 2021 by EU RASFF.
Which countries are affected?
The alert applies to the following countries: Germany, Austria, France, Italy, and UKRAINE.
How serious is this alert?
Serious risk. A serious risk means the product or medicine can cause significant harm. Treat the alert as urgent.
What should I do?
If you have this product at home, stop using it and return it to the point of purchase for a refund. Keep the receipt if you have one — most retailers refund without it for safety recalls.
Where can I find the official notice?
The full official notice is published on webgate.ec.europa.eu.

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⚠️ We aggregate official notices. We do not give medical advice. For medical or legal decisions, consult the source agency and a qualified professional.