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Tainted Paprika in Hungary!

emsny
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ludja

ludja

Posted
Posted (edited)

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 by ludja (log)

"Under the dusty almond trees, ... stalls were set up which sold banana liquor, rolls, blood puddings, chopped fried meat, meat pies, sausage, yucca breads, crullers, buns, corn breads, puff pastes, longanizas, tripes, coconut nougats, rum toddies, along with all sorts of trifles, gewgaws, trinkets, and knickknacks, and cockfights and lottery tickets."

-- Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1962 "Big Mama's Funeral"

ronnie_suburban

ronnie_suburban

Posted
Posted

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.

:sad:

=R=

"Hey, hey, careful man! There's a beverage here!" --The Dude, The Big Lebowski

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fifi

fifi

Posted
Posted
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.

:sad:

=R=

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. :laugh:

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

emsny

emsny

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

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

ludja

Posted
Posted
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.

Certainly possible... (likely?).

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

"Under the dusty almond trees, ... stalls were set up which sold banana liquor, rolls, blood puddings, chopped fried meat, meat pies, sausage, yucca breads, crullers, buns, corn breads, puff pastes, longanizas, tripes, coconut nougats, rum toddies, along with all sorts of trifles, gewgaws, trinkets, and knickknacks, and cockfights and lottery tickets."

-- Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1962 "Big Mama's Funeral"

Toliver

Toliver

Posted
Posted

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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Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

fifi

fifi

Posted
Posted
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?

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. :raz:

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

ludja

ludja

Posted
Posted

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.

"Under the dusty almond trees, ... stalls were set up which sold banana liquor, rolls, blood puddings, chopped fried meat, meat pies, sausage, yucca breads, crullers, buns, corn breads, puff pastes, longanizas, tripes, coconut nougats, rum toddies, along with all sorts of trifles, gewgaws, trinkets, and knickknacks, and cockfights and lottery tickets."

-- Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1962 "Big Mama's Funeral"

Pan

Pan

Posted
Posted

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.

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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