The Hellenic Food Authority (EFET) is continuing and expanding its work to protect consumers and safeguard food authenticity, with particular emphasis on identifying practices that could mislead the public, a statement said.
As part of this effort, it is starting authenticity checks on fruit juices, with particular focus on investigating the presence of added sugars in products marketed as 100% natural juices.
Laboratory tests have already detected added sugars in orange and apple juices during the investigation of a related complaint.
The products were found to be non-compliant and withdrawn from the market following a scientific assessment by EFET’s Scientific Council (ESET), in cooperation with the General Chemical State Laboratory and Spain’s Official Food Control Laboratory, the Agri-Food Arbitration Laboratory.
EFET also regularly carries out sampling and laboratory testing programmes on key foods in the Greek diet, such as olive oil, honey and dairy products, to verify their authenticity and ensure compliance with the applicable specifications.
The checks also cover production facilities and cases of food being sold online.
To improve market oversight, EFET uses modern laboratory methods, scientific support from the Scientific Council for Food Control (ESET), and information and partnerships at national and European level.
It also takes part in coordinated European initiatives to tackle food fraud.
By continually adapting and strengthening its inspection activities, EFET aims to detect cases of adulteration and fraud at an early stage, and to safeguard the reliability of food products on the market, the statement said.