RASFF: the European rapid alert system for food and feed

01

What RASFF is

The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed enables member-country food-safety authorities to exchange information quickly about health risks involving food or feed and to coordinate action.

The European Commission keeps the system operational around the clock. RASFF Window is its public search interface and provides summary information about notifications transmitted through the network.

02

What RASFF publishes

The Commission classifies network notifications as alerts, information notifications, border rejections or news. Alert and information notifications may receive follow-ups from other network members.

RASFF Window makes public notifications and their follow-ups searchable. The Commission states that the public database does not disclose commercial names or the identities of business operators.

03

Scope and coverage

RASFF links the European Commission and network members in relation to food and feed risks. It supports a rapid, coordinated response, including at borders.

The public record is a summary of information exchanged through the network. It should not be treated as an individual consumer warning or a complete list of every product recalled in each country.

04

Available information

Public notifications may include:

• reference and notification type
• product category and description
• notified risk or subject
• notifying country and related countries
• notification basis and measures
• dates, status and follow-ups