In a significant operation, French customs officials from the Direction Nationale du Renseignement et des Enquêtes Douanières (DNRED) seized 17 tons of sodas from a major wholesaler in the Île-de-France region.
Concerning Importation af American Snacking Products
According to L'Independent the sodas, imported from the United States, were found to contain additives that are either banned in France or present in concentrations exceeding legal limits.
The confiscated products, primarily sold online through a private sales website, highlight a growing concern over the importation of American "snacking" products, which include sodas, sugary snacks, and appetizers.
Many of these items are targeted at children and teenagers, raising public health concerns due to the potential consumption of harmful substances.
Synthetic Colorants and Antioxidants
Since 2021, the DNRED has been conducting a series of investigations into such products, resulting in the seizure of 72 tons of non-compliant food items.
Violations uncovered include synthetic colorants and antioxidants banned in breakfast cereals, over-concentrated synthetic preservatives in sodas, candies, and cake toppings, and prohibited synthetic dyes in chips.
A total of sixty food products have been identified as non-compliant, with 18 deemed "unfit for consumption" by the Service Commun des Laboratoires (SCL).
The investigation also uncovered further suspect imports, totaling 382.5 tons of non-compliant food products sold across France and Europe, equating to nearly 1,195,000 individual items.
