Carpena et al. 2024 — Chemical hazards in herbs consumed in Europe (conference proceedings)
This 8-page conference proceedings paper from IECTO2024 (MDPI Proceedings) reviews chemical hazards in herbs and spices consumed in Europe, drawing on a literature search and RASFF notification data from 2013 to 2023. The paper is primarily concerned with mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A), pyrrolizidine alkaloids, and pesticide residues (chlorpyrifos, ethylene oxide); heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg) are mentioned as bioaccumulating environmental contaminants but receive no quantitative treatment and no primary concentration data. The RASFF analysis identifies 1,133 notifications for herbs and spices over ten years, predominantly for mycotoxins and illegal dyes, with pepper and oregano as the most-notified products. The paper is funded through the EU-FORA EFSA Fellowship Programme.
Key numbers
- RASFF total notifications for herbs and spices (2013–2023): 1,133
- Leading RASFF-notified hazards: mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A), pyrrolizidine alkaloids, illegal dyes (Sudan I–IV), pesticide residues
- Chlorpyrifos RASFF notifications (2013–2023): 135; ethylene oxide: 104
- Most notified spice/herb families: Lamiaceae (82), Piperaceae (50), Apiaceae (60), Solanaceae (17)
- Most notified products: pepper (50 notifications), oregano (39 notifications)
- Heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg): mentioned as bioaccumulators with no numerical data provided
Methods (brief)
Literature review via PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, supplemented by EFSA data and RASFF notification analysis. Q1/Q2 journal articles prioritised. No original measurements. No LOD/LOQ reported. Conference proceedings format (8 pages); not a full systematic review.
Implications
Certification: Confirms that mycotoxins and pesticide residues are the dominant regulatory concerns for herbs and spices in Europe, with heavy metals a secondary concern in the RASFF notification record. Does not provide quantitative Pb/Cd/Hg data for HMT&C threshold-setting.
Courses: Useful context for the herbs and spices module framing the full spectrum of chemical hazards; heavy-metals angle is weak.
App: No concentration values usable for contamination profile updates.