Discontinuation of a Popular Snack: Over Half of Belarus' Consumers Reported Purchasing It
A casual look at the frequent checks on products by Gosstandart in Belarus tends to uncover potentially hazardous items, even within popular brands.
The latest instance of this involved a beloved snack—a salted-dried "Anchovy" by "Flotskaya"—often found on store shelves or at checkout counters, and it made the cut for the banned list. This affordable treat retails for approximately Br4.5-5 on average.
Based in Tver, the manufacture of these anchovies falls under IP Chumakov A.V. The main retail importers in Belarus are large chains like LLC "Eurotorg" and JSC "Dobronom."
Now, let's address why this tasty snack didn't make the cut:
Gosstandart claimed that the snack failed to comply with regulations based on the Customs Union and EAEC. Their inspection revealed that the moisture content of the dried fish product was 31.2%, significantly surpassing the acceptable limit of 20%. This implies the manufacturer intentionally tampered with the product's appearance and certain properties, making it unrecognizable from its represented form.
Essentially, this "Anchovy" snack can indeed be classified as salted fish, but it isn't technically dried. Therefore, it's under a ban.
Starting June 11, you'll no longer see this snack on the shelves.
Let's consider the flip side:
In the same update, "Vobla" marked "My Fish" and "Cod fillet" made the list due to the opposite issue: rather than being salted as labeled, they were dried and contained unacceptable food additives.
Additionally, the Gosstandart banned list includes a popular mead, but that's a story for another time! Read more here.
As a side note, based on my knowledge from December 2023, there haven't been any significant, publicly reported bans of the "Flotskaya" anchovy by Gosstandart, at least not on a broad scale in major international media or food safety alert databases. However, it is essential to remember that bans or restrictions on fish products can stem from various factors, including food safety concerns.
In case you're seeking confirmation about a specific incident, direct your attention to:- The official Gosstandart website for food product recalls or alerts.- Contacting Gosstandart for the most accurate and current information.- Reviewing reports from Belarusian or Russian news outlets for any mentions of the "Flotskaya" brand.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, it's crucial to consume products that adhere to the given regulations.
- Unfortunately, the salted-dried "Anchovy" by "Flotskaya," popular in Belarus, failed to comply with these regulations concerning moisture content, which led to its ban.
- Moving forward, the science and lifestyles sectors can learn from such instances, emphasizing the importance of adhering to regulations in the production of food-and-drink items for consumer wellbeing.
