Food Manifest 
Key Update
Slovenia has flagged a rare food safety incident after routine inspections detected paracetamol in pickles imported from India. The Food Safety, Veterinary and Plant Protection Administration (UVHVVR) found the contamination during standard checks on imported goods. A private laboratory later verified the results, confirming the fever-reducing drug at concentrations of about 28 to 30 milligrams per kilogram. This marks only the second recorded case of paracetamol appearing in food products in Europe, following the detection in honey paste from Turkey in June 2024.
Shipment Blocked, EU Alerted
Once officials in Slovenia confirmed the contamination, they detained the shipment in the importer’s warehouse and blocked more than 15,000 kilograms of pickled cucumbers from reaching consumers. They notified the European Commission through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). Croatian authorities also confirmed that the tainted pickles did not enter their market and that the country has not recorded any similar incidents.
Experts Rule Out Paracetamol in Normal Pickling
Food biotechnology expert Maja Rapajic from the University of Zagreb said paracetamol has no role in pickle production. Traditional pickling uses water, vinegar, sugar, salt and spices. The vegetables are soaked in brine and pasteurised, leaving no point where the drug could naturally appear. Rapajic suggested that contamination may have occurred later, possibly during the growing phase, such as through polluted irrigation water. She did not rule out human error but declined to speculate on intentional addition.
Recalls and Precautionary Testing Expand
As a precaution, UVHVVR has begun testing other pickled products, including store-brand and private-label cucumbers, peppers, beetroot, onions and mushrooms. The discovery also prompted retailers such as Mercator Cash and Carry, Jager, Tuš and Spar to recall specific batches of deli gherkins identified by lot numbers 25B0161 and 25B0162. Consumers were advised to avoid these items until the final results are available. UVHVVR notified the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) and requested a formal risk assessment to evaluate any potential health risks linked to the contaminated pickles. Investigations into the source of the contamination are ongoing.
Source: Food Safety News
