Tainted Paprika in Hungary!

[emsny]

A sad state of affairs:

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/internation...ry-paprika.html

I wonder if any of this not-pure-Hungarian paprika was exported.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Penzey's website notification ..and the update

[ludja]

Penzey's website notification ..and the update

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The links above provided by Gifted Gourmet are old ones from May and June 2004 and refer to something completely different: Salmonella bacterial contamination.

emsny reports on information new today (Oct 27, 2004) regarding potential contamination of paprika with aflatoxin (a mold that produces a compound with toxicity for humans).

It will be interesting to follow this story. The Hungarian government is taking it seriously enough to stop use of it in Hungary. From various accounts so far though, it seems that quite a large amount (1 lb per week) is indicated as harmful to humans.

Also important to note in the article:

He said it was unlikely that any of the tainted paprika had made it to retailers' shelves, but he asked consumers not to use paprika until the ministry collected more information.

Edited October 27, 2004 by ludja (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

From the article linked by emsny...

``This toxin can only be found in paprika coming from the tropics, which indicates that domestic producers illegally mixed imported and domestic products, and misled customers,'' Racz told a news conference after a weekly government meeting.

=R=

[fifi]

From the article linked by emsny...

``This toxin can only be found in paprika coming from the tropics, which indicates that domestic producers illegally mixed imported and domestic products, and misled customers,'' Racz told a news conference after a weekly government meeting.

=R=

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This quote makes me scratch my head. Aflatoxin is fairly common. Certainly the mold that produces it is (an Aspergillus something or 'nother). It is certainly not restricted to the tropics. When I worked at FDA in the late 60s, we tested tons of shelled pecans for it. There were other dried spices, nuts and such that we tested, including powdered chile peppers from California and New Mexico for instance. Aflatoxin is one of those things that most government watchdog groups have "levels". If it occurs above a certain amount, the product is condemned. They did say that you had to eat...

But he said aflatoxin would have harmful effects only if somebody ate half a kilo of red paprika in a week.

Hmmm... Maybe some of us here should take notice.

[ronnie_suburban]

Hmmm... Maybe some of us here should take notice. 

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You talking to me?

=R=

[emsny]

Of course, we have to allow for a certain amount of blame-shifting by the Hungarian authorities, who will want to make sure we all know that native-grown paprika is unfailingly without risk.

[ludja]

Of course, we have to allow for a certain amount of blame-shifting by the Hungarian authorities, who will want to make sure we all know that native-grown paprika is unfailingly without risk.

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Certainly possible... (likely?).

A possible method to ID the contamination as originating elsewhere could be biochemical analysis of the particular strain of mold.

[Toliver]

Thanks to this discussion I sent away for some paprika in hopes of trying some of the recipes mentioned in it.

So now I have three small cans of Spanish (as in, from Spain) paprika and I am wondering if they are "tainted" like the Hungarian paprika.

Anyone have an informed or uninformed opinion on this?

[fifi]

Thanks to this discussion I sent away for some paprika in hopes of trying some of the recipes mentioned in it.

So now I have three small cans of Spanish (as in, from Spain) paprika and I am wondering if they are "tainted" like the Hungarian paprika.

Anyone have an informed or uninformed opinion on this?

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My decidedly uninformed opinion tells me that I would go ahead and make that chicken, or whatever. They did say a half kilo in a week. And it is Spanish. See there, you can justify just about anything.

[ludja]

Some more information with the focus on potential economic impact here.

A quote:

Last year, Hungary exported 5,300 tons of paprika, worth €12.7 million, up from 4,900 tons, worth €11.3 million, in 2002.

Other countries have not imposed bans on Hungarian paprika imports, but foreign traders’ reactions to the contamination scandal are expected to cause the export losses.

The only place where a ban has been imposed is on the Hungarian market itself, where the State Public Health and Medical Officers’ Service (ÁNTSz) prevented the domestic sale and distribution of all paprika powder and related products from Oct. 28. In doing so, the office halted a domestic trade which yearly shifts 3,500–4,000 tons of the red powder.

[Pan]

I heard on BBC World Service that the Hungarian paprika ban lasted 3 days and then was lifted, but I haven't yet found a web source for that.