These notifications report poor hygiene or high counts of bacteria without naming a single species. EU rules use such counts as process hygiene criteria that show whether production is working properly.
109 notifications since 1 January 2020 named microbial contamination or high bacterial counts, under 1% of all EU notifications in that time. 22 in the 365 days to 8 November 2026, against 21 in the 365 days before, up 5%. 33% were border rejections and 15% had a serious risk decision.
The origins named most often were Italy (12), the Netherlands (9) and Germany (7). The product categories named most often were meat other than poultry (21), milk and milk products (20) and water for human consumption (8). The products named most often were milk (12), cheese (6) and sunflower oil (5).
Explainer sources, checked 18 October 2026: Microbiological criteria, European Commission.
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 microbial contamination or high bacterial counts
The newest 25 of 109, newest first, each built from fixed word lists. The reference opens the official record.
- Information for follow up notified by Denmark: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in ketchup from Denmark, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.8829, validated 6 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Hungary: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in milk from Hungary, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.7147, validated 12 August 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by the Netherlands: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in sauces from the Netherlands, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.6373, validated 17 July 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Bulgaria: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in milk from Romania, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.5872, validated 2 July 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by the Netherlands: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in meat from the Netherlands, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.5706, validated 26 June 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Bulgaria: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in milk from Hungary, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.5166, validated 11 June 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Hungary: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in milk from Hungary, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.5149, validated 10 June 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Germany: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts and labelling faults in poultry meat from the Netherlands, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.5089, validated 9 June 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Latvia: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts and labelling faults in dates from Afghanistan, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.4828, validated 2 June 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Bulgaria: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in milk from Hungary, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.4648, validated 27 May 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Bulgaria: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in milk from Hungary, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.4545, validated 22 May 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Bulgaria: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in milk from Romania, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.4301, validated 15 May 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by the Netherlands: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in meat from Belgium, Italy, Lithuania and 3 more countries, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.3274, validated 17 April 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Croatia: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in cakes and pastries from Türkiye, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.3242, validated 16 April 2026.
- Alert notified by Slovakia: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in pet food from Czechia, risk decision serious, reference 2026.2824, validated 2 April 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Sweden: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in milk from Denmark, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.2266, validated 18 March 2026.
- Alert notified by France: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in a mixed food product from Denmark, risk decision serious, reference 2026.2189, validated 16 March 2026.
- Information for follow up notified by Austria: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in a mixed food product from Croatia, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.0448, validated 30 January 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Croatia: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in a mixed food product from Serbia, risk decision potential risk, reference 2026.0636, validated 27 January 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Italy: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts and labelling faults in meat from Argentina, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.0431, validated 20 January 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Italy: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts and labelling faults in meat from Argentina, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.0430, validated 20 January 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Italy: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts and labelling faults in meat from Argentina, risk decision not serious, reference 2026.0419, validated 19 January 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Austria: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in fish from Türkiye, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2025.7654, validated 7 October 2025.
- Information for follow up notified by Poland: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in mineral water from Poland, risk decision not serious, reference 2025.7593, validated 6 October 2025.
- Alert notified by France: microbial contamination or high bacterial counts in drinking water from France, risk decision serious, reference 2025.6496, validated 25 August 2025.
Other bacteria, viruses and parasites: Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, moulds.
The numbers
| Year | Notifications |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 13 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2024 | 18 |
| 2025 | 21 |
| 2026 (to 8 Nov 2026) | 22 |
| Type | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Border rejection | 36 | 33% |
| Alert | 14 | 13% |
| Information for follow up | 32 | 29% |
| Information for attention | 27 | 25% |
| Risk decision | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | 16 | 15% |
| Potentially serious | 12 | 11% |
| Potential risk | 32 | 29% |
| Not serious | 31 | 28% |
| Undecided | 18 | 17% |
| Product | Notifications |
|---|---|
| Milk | 12 |
| Cheese | 6 |
| Sunflower oil | 5 |
| Sausages | 4 |
| Beef | 2 |
| Cakes and pastries | 2 |
| Casings or tripe | 2 |
| Chicken meat | 2 |
| Fish | 2 |
| Food supplements | 2 |
| Origin | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 12 | 11% |
| Netherlands | 9 | 8% |
| Germany | 7 | 6% |
| United Kingdom | 7 | 6% |
| Ukraine | 7 | 6% |
| Morocco | 6 | 6% |
| Belgium | 5 | 5% |
| France | 5 | 5% |
| Hungary | 5 | 5% |
| Denmark | 4 | 4% |
| Romania | 4 | 4% |
| Argentina | 3 | 3% |
| Product category | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Meat other than poultry | 21 | 19% |
| Milk and milk products | 20 | 18% |
| Water for human consumption | 8 | 7% |
| Other and mixed food products | 7 | 6% |
| Fats and oils | 6 | 6% |
| Fruit and vegetables | 6 | 6% |
| Soups, sauces and condiments | 6 | 6% |
| Animal by products | 4 | 4% |
| Fish and fish products | 4 | 4% |
| Natural mineral waters | 4 | 4% |
| Cereals and bakery products | 3 | 3% |
| Food supplements and dietetic foods | 3 | 3% |
| Notifying country | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 19 | 17% |
| Italy | 13 | 12% |
| Germany | 12 | 11% |
| Austria | 10 | 9% |
| Spain | 9 | 8% |
| Poland | 7 | 6% |
| France | 6 | 6% |
| Bulgaria | 5 | 5% |
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