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Rabat – The National Office for Food Safety in Morocco (ONSSA) confirmed on Friday that Moroccan strawberries exported to Europe have been cleared of Hepatitis A virus contamination, following an extensive investigation.
The statement from the office comes after the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) was triggered in Europe and raised concerns over the safety of Moroccan strawberries, alleging the presence of the Hepatitis A virus.
In the wake of the alert, ONSSA carried out extensive analysis. The results showed that strawberries tested negative for both Hepatitis A and Norovirus.
In a statement to state media SNRTnews, officials from the National Office for Food Safety said that they promptly mobilized once they received the health notification regarding the exported batch of strawberries.
An investigation was immediately launched, leading to the identification of the field and packaging unit implicated in the matter.
Samples were rigorously collected from irrigation water and strawberries at the production unit and field to assess their quality and identify any potential health hazards.
All analyses returned negative results for Hepatitis A and Norovirus, with no signs of contamination detected in the irrigation water.
Emphasizing their commitment to ensuring food safety, officials underscored the stringent monitoring protocols in place for field workers. They assured the public that the strawberries in question were intended for export purposes and were not destined for the local market.
In addition, the National Office for Food Safety reiterated the effectiveness of its annual monitoring and surveillance program, which includes hundreds of samples collected from various fruits, all of which have consistently met health safety standards.
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