Foreign bodies are pieces of glass, metal, plastic, stone or other material that should not be in food. The Commission's network guidance gives the confirmed presence of foreign bodies that may cause physical harm as an example of a serious risk.
1,196 notifications since 1 January 2020 named foreign bodies, 4% of all EU notifications in that time. 243 in the 365 days to 8 November 2026, against 210 in the 365 days before, up 16%. under 1% were border rejections and 60% had a serious risk decision.
The origins named most often were Germany (176), the Netherlands (142) and France (137). The product categories named most often were cereals and bakery products (160), fruit and vegetables (129) and other and mixed food products (122). The products named most often were cheese (47), cups and mugs (32) and sausages (29).
Explainer sources, checked 18 October 2026: Standard operating procedures of the Alert and Cooperation Network, version 3.3, April 2026 (SOP 4, risk evaluation and risk decision).
Counts start on 1 January 2020 and run to 8 November 2026, the day the list was last read. A notification that names two countries of origin counts for each. Findings come from our word list matched against the EU subject line, which is never shown; 96% of all notifications match it, the rest count as other finding. Each reference links to the official record on RASFF Window. How this works.
Latest notifications that named foreign bodies
The newest 25 of 1,196, newest first, each built from fixed word lists. The reference opens the official record.
- Alert notified by the Netherlands: foreign bodies in dog food from the Netherlands, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9837, validated 5 November 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Germany: foreign bodies and fraud or adulteration in a feed material from India, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.9804, validated 4 November 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by the Netherlands: foreign bodies in pet food from Germany, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.9780, validated 4 November 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: foreign bodies in desserts from Germany, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.9761, validated 3 November 2026.
- Alert notified by the Netherlands: foreign bodies in dog food from France, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9741, validated 3 November 2026.
- Alert notified by the Netherlands: foreign bodies in fish from Vietnam, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.9700, validated 30 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Spain: norovirus and foreign bodies in clams from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9600, validated 28 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Denmark: foreign bodies in a dairy product from Denmark, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9525, validated 26 October 2026.
- Alert notified by the Netherlands: foreign bodies in cheese from the Netherlands, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9482, validated 23 October 2026.
- Alert notified by France: foreign bodies in pesto from Italy, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.9383, validated 21 October 2026.
- Alert notified by France: foreign bodies in flour from France, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9252, validated 19 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Denmark: foreign bodies in cat food from Denmark, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.9223, validated 16 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Spain: foreign bodies in sauces of unknown origin, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9232, validated 16 October 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Norway: foreign bodies in a feed material from China, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.9229, validated 16 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by the Netherlands: foreign bodies in chilli peppers from Türkiye, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.9103, validated 13 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Hungary: foreign bodies in snacks from Slovakia, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9071, validated 13 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: foreign bodies in confectionery from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9093, validated 13 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Germany: foreign bodies in protein supplements from Germany, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9055, validated 12 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Norway: foreign bodies in dog food from Norway, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9007, validated 9 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Denmark: aluminium and foreign bodies in a food contact material from Sweden, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8966, validated 9 October 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Denmark: foreign bodies in meat from Poland, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.8828, validated 6 October 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Switzerland: foreign bodies in biscuits from Switzerland, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.8816, validated 6 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Denmark: foreign bodies in salad leaves from the Netherlands, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.8832, validated 6 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Luxembourg: foreign bodies in bread from Germany, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8804, validated 5 October 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by the Netherlands: foreign bodies in food supplements from Belgium, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.8806, validated 5 October 2026.
Other foreign bodies, pests and spoilage: spoilage or decomposition, insects or pest damage, illness reported after eating it.
The numbers
| Year | Notifications |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 121 |
| 2021 | 141 |
| 2022 | 145 |
| 2023 | 155 |
| 2024 | 203 |
| 2025 | 222 |
| 2026 (to 8 Nov 2026) | 209 |
| Type | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Border rejection | 9 | under 1% |
| Alert | 772 | 65% |
| Information for follow up | 260 | 22% |
| Information for attention | 155 | 13% |
| Risk decision | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | 716 | 60% |
| Potentially serious | 185 | 15% |
| Potential risk | 145 | 12% |
| Not serious | 67 | 6% |
| Undecided | 79 | 7% |
| No risk | 4 | under 1% |
| Product | Notifications |
|---|---|
| Cheese | 47 |
| Cups and mugs | 32 |
| Sausages | 29 |
| Bread | 28 |
| Biscuits | 24 |
| Chocolate products | 19 |
| Cakes and pastries | 16 |
| Ice cream | 16 |
| Dog food | 15 |
| Food supplements | 14 |
| Origin | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 176 | 15% |
| Netherlands | 142 | 12% |
| France | 137 | 11% |
| Italy | 110 | 9% |
| Belgium | 92 | 8% |
| Poland | 67 | 6% |
| Spain | 51 | 4% |
| China | 38 | 3% |
| Denmark | 31 | 3% |
| Türkiye | 31 | 3% |
| Origin not given | 27 | 2% |
| Sweden | 25 | 2% |
| Product category | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cereals and bakery products | 160 | 13% |
| Fruit and vegetables | 129 | 11% |
| Other and mixed food products | 122 | 10% |
| Prepared dishes and snacks | 119 | 10% |
| Milk and milk products | 80 | 7% |
| Meat other than poultry | 74 | 6% |
| Confectionery | 50 | 4% |
| Soups, sauces and condiments | 46 | 4% |
| Fish and fish products | 44 | 4% |
| Food contact materials | 41 | 3% |
| Food supplements and dietetic foods | 35 | 3% |
| Feed materials | 34 | 3% |
| Notifying country | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 295 | 25% |
| Netherlands | 183 | 15% |
| France | 123 | 10% |
| Belgium | 84 | 7% |
| Italy | 80 | 7% |
| Spain | 48 | 4% |
| Poland | 45 | 4% |
| Sweden | 40 | 3% |
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