Codrico Rotterdam governance and policy regarding Aflatoxin

In the past week three alerts regarding excessive levels of aflatoxin B1 have been made via the EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed and have been published in the RASFF Portal. The three alerts relate to maize from Serbia and Romania.

Although we think it speaks for itself that we have taken the right precautions to avoid milling maize of this poor quality standard, Codrico Rotterdam wants to make the following statements:

We did not receive any maize that is linked with the Serbian and Romanian lots that are subject of the alerts.
We only process maize that meets legal requirements.
We check the presence of mycotoxins in each batch of maize before processing, to assure its legal compliance.
In 2010 we have installed the newest, most advanced optical sorting equipment in our production processes, which takes out selectively damaged kernels of any kind at the start of the cleaning and milling process. This reduces the presence of possible contaminants like mycotoxins to acceptable levels. The combination of these measures allows us to meet stringent mycotoxin requirements for all of our products.
As far as we know Codrico is the only maize mill that operates these advanced techniques at the start and end of our production processes. In our strive to lower all levels of contaminants to even the lowest possible level.
To minimise the development of mycotoxins during growth, harvest and storage, Codrico agrees specific agricultural practices with our dedicated maize suppliers.

Publication date: 7 March 2013