Recommendations for monitoring the most relevant hazards in the spice and herbs chain

Introduction: The European Union (EU) is an important market for exporters of spices and herbs. As high quality and food safety are at the forefront, monitoring is critical. The need for an effective monitoring system is even more pertinent given the extensive nature of the spice and herb supply chain and the various hazards that may occur.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to design a monitoring model to select most relevant chemical and biological hazards-product combinations, which could be used to provide recommendations for monitoring.
Methods: Dutch and German monitoring systems for spices and herbs were compared and evaluated. Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notifications, data from Eurostat and EU pesticide databases, and expert opinions on the relevant hazards were also collected. A Bayesian Network (BN) method was used to develop a model, based on these data, aiming to predict the most relevant hazards, products, and origin countries to monitor at several points in the spice and herb supply chain.
Results: Results indicated that the monitoring approach for a particular point in the chain depends on the product-hazard-origin combination. For example, at border inspection, the controller should focus on monitoring curry leaves, chili pepper, and curry. The main chemical hazards detected were aflatoxins (27 %), ochratoxin A (9 %), and Sudan I (8 %). At the market, the controller should focus on paprika, chili pepper and nutmeg. The main chemical hazards detected were aflatoxins (32 %), ochratoxin A (14 %), and Sudan I (5 %).
Significance: This model can aid governmental authorities and industry in defining which combinations of products, hazards, and origins to monitor at different stages along the spice and herb supply chain.