Germany Flags U.S. Almond Shipment Over Elevated Aflatoxin Levels

European food safety monitors recorded a formal alert in early December after a German authority identified an almond shipment from the United States with aflatoxin levels above permitted limits. The notification, first lodged on December 9 and republished on December 10 and 11, was posted through the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, the bloc s network for rapid exchange of information on food safety hazards.

The RASFF bulletin, as aggregated on industry outlets and FoodMate, included the lot identification and details of the implicated shipment, enabling authorities and commercial partners across member states to trace the consignment. Under EU rules, detection of elevated aflatoxin prompts regulatory action to protect public health and to maintain the integrity of intra EU and import controls. Member state authorities typically respond with measures such as market withdrawals, re exports, or destruction of the affected product.

Aflatoxins are a class of toxic compounds produced by certain molds that can contaminate crops in the field or during storage. Chronic exposure to aflatoxin is linked to liver damage and increased cancer risk, which is why the European Union enforces strict maximum levels for aflatoxins in nuts and other commodities. Detection in a traded shipment therefore triggers not only immediate safety steps but also scrutiny of testing procedures, storage conditions, and supply chain controls.

For importers and exporters the notification is a prompt to review traceability records and recent shipments. Industry participants will need to confirm whether matching lots remain in warehouses or retail channels, and whether internal quality testing has picked up similar irregularities. Traders and distributors who receive RASFF alerts commonly reroute suspect lots for testing, block onward distribution, or remove products from the market pending official instructions.

The timing, with the alert circulating in the first half of December, heightens commercial stakes because the holiday season typically increases demand for nuts. Even a limited withdrawal can ripple through logistics and contracts, while forced re exports add handling and compliance costs for consignments deemed unacceptable for sale within the EU.

Regulators will continue to update the RASFF record and national public notices as they finalize investigative and mitigation steps. The German notification forms part of routine cross border surveillance that authorities use to maintain consistent safety standards across the single market. For consumers, public health risk from a single identified consignment is managed through these regulatory channels, but the incident highlights the persistent challenge mycotoxins pose to global food chains.

The RASFF notices and industry reporting on this event were compiled from FoodMate and sector outlets in December 2025. Authorities and commercial operators involved in U.S to EU almond trade are likely to intensify testing and traceability checks while awaiting further formal outcomes from national competent authorities.