Hesse was affected by 603 reports in 2025
Last year, the state contact point at the Darmstadt Regional Council evaluated more than 10,000 reports of potentially harmful products from European rapid alert systems. Hesse was affected by a total of 603 of these incidents.
Food products again accounted for the largest share. Around one in ten reports, however, concerned other consumer products such as cosmetics or toys.
Food products are frequently rejected due to germs or pesticides
In 2025, complaints focused primarily on fruit and vegetables, confectionery, and herbs and spices in the food sector. Other frequently affected product groups included meat and meat products, cereal and egg products, nuts and oils, as well as baby food and dietary supplements.
Most reports were due to detected pathogens, primarily salmonella or listeria. Foreign objects in food also remain a problem. Elevated pesticide levels were also frequently found in fruits and vegetables.
In Hesse, reports concerning consumer products mainly involved cosmetics and tattoo inks. Heavy metals or plasticizers were usually the reason for the complaints.
Public warnings and recalls
In many cases, companies have had to issue public warnings because affected products had already entered the market. The state contact point then ensures that consumers are informed and publishes corresponding recalls on the platform
Lebensmittelwarnung.de (FoodWarning.de).
Users can be notified immediately of new warnings via the accompanying app. The application is free and allows users to filter warnings by state or product category.
Coordination between authorities
If Hesse is affected by a report, the state contact point informs the responsible authorities and coordinates further measures. Local food safety authorities then check on-site whether affected products have been removed from sale.
In the case of nationwide distribution, the information is also passed on to other federal states, EU member states and other partners in the rapid alert system.
Background information on the EU rapid alert systems
Key instruments include the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) and the Safety Gate system for dangerous non-food products. Both facilitate the rapid exchange of information about products with potential health or safety risks.
For Hesse, the state contact point at the Darmstadt Regional Council is the central coordination point for these reports.
Further information is available online
For the rapid alert system: www.lebensmittelwarnung.de
(DSARMSTADT – RED/RPDA)
