From the use of pesticides to antibiotics/ What are we consuming?

How the control system for food safety works, from planted seedlings, the use of pesticides, antibiotics and to the marketing of domestic and imported food products. Obstacles encountered in the traceability of unsafe goods that are sold informally.

A.Ç. has been hospitalized in the regional hospital of Durrës for several days, due to food poisoning by the salmonella bacterium. The elderly man says that the poisoning was caused after he consumed home-cooked chicken meat, which he had bought in one of the supermarkets in the city where he lives.

Among the first symptoms that appeared were vomiting and a state of loss of consciousness. The elderly man claims that his health condition has improved, while he expects to undergo surgery.

Emergency infectious disease doctors at the University Hospital Center "Mother Teresa" claimed for "Monitor" that cases of patients appearing in the emergency room with "bacterial gastroenteritis" (food poisoning caused by bacteria of various types) are frequent at any time of the year, especially in the summer season, where the marketing of animal products and fruits and vegetables requires more attention.

Cases of food poisoning, according to them, are influenced by several factors, especially food hygiene.

Doctors claim that in this period there is no increasing trend in cases of bacterial gastroenteritis from salmonella. While the number of hospitalizations with "bacterial gastroenteritis" reaches 2 to 3 patients per shift. Hospitalizations, according to doctors, are more necessary for cases where the patient also has concomitant diseases.

Among the main symptoms that bacterial gastroenteritis exhibits in adults are diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps, fever and fever above 38 degrees Celsius, headache, vomiting and vomiting.

There are two official laboratories in the country, which carry out analyses of food products, the National Food Authority (AKU) and the Institute of Food Safety and Veterinary (ISUV).

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the analyses carried out in the laboratories of both institutions, non-compliant cases are mostly found for food hygiene indicators compared to those of food safety.

The most frequent problems, according to experts, are encountered in fruits and vegetables. "A very small number of analyzes are carried out in AKU laboratories, more physico-chemical than microbiological. Therefore, the entire burden falls on the ISUV, which is a reference laboratory.

From the analyzes, fruits and vegetables mostly result in problems", says Granit Sokolaj, head of the "Alert" center, specialized in informing and raising consumer awareness on food safety issues.

AKU and ISUV analyze the samples that are taken during the official control. ISUV currently has over 1,900 tests accredited according to the European Union. Meanwhile, not only ISUV laboratories but also AKU laboratories have participated in international aptitude tests.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Anila Denaj, in the podcast "Monitor Business Plus" affirmed that the implementation of protocols for monitoring and controlling the food safety chain in the country, drafted in accordance with the European Union legislation, best guarantee the safe marketing of products.

Ms. Denaj emphasized that the increase in the number of analyses accredited by ISUV to over 1,900 from 6 in 2013, is one of the main investments in equipment and human resources logistics to strengthen control in food safety.

"There is no shortage of laws, regulations, and accredited analyses, but there is often a lack of absolute meticulous follow-up of protocols by everyone, such as farmers, businesses and employees.

This creates some squeaks that endanger the life of the consumer, like the ones you have heard recently, and have happened before, but the responsible institutions have taken immediate measures.

Whether the staff of the responsible institutions, farmers or businesses that risk not following the protocols, all together must understand that their violation is not exceeding the moment of the rules, but issues that endanger food safety. The protocols in force today catch you, even with a day late, and bring you to justice".

Food safety in the country, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, is monitored and controlled by the National Veterinary and Plant Protection Authority (AKVMB) and the National Food Authority (AKU).

KPMMB is responsible for agricultural and livestock production on the farm, with controls starting from planted seedlings to the use of pesticides and antibiotics. AKU is responsible for the safety of all food products on the market. 

"The tracing of animal products and fruits and vegetables requires the registration of agricultural and livestock farms, as well as the activities that are carried out on these farms. Livestock farms as well as the animals bred on them are registered in the RUDA electronic register, which is constantly updated.

In June 2024, the registration of professional operators, who carry out activities related to plants (planting, production, placing on the market), has begun. Farmers have the obligation to fill in the register of use of Plant Protection Products (PPPs) on the farm, the control of keeping the register of the use of PPPs on the farm is carried out by the KPMMB.

KPMM inspectors carry out inspections on agricultural farms to prove that their products are free from diseases and pests, the use of pesticides and provide the product with a phytosanitary certificate.

Food business operators at collection points have the obligation to register with the National Business Center and are subject to control by AKU food inspectors", the Ministry of Agriculture explained to Monitor.

Both institutions carry out inspections throughout the country on the basis of a national plan, built on the risk posed by food and animal products.

"Within the framework of pesticide residue controls, microbiological contamination in fruits and vegetables, AKU performs controls based on the National Plan of official risk-based controls and sampling for food, animal feed, plant protection and agricultural inputs, as well as the sampling plan at PIC.", which is approved by the Minister.

In this context, AKU closely cooperates with the KPA not only to monitor the traceability of products, but also to raise awareness among farmers about the importance of keeping data on their farm, completing the register of the use of PMBs on the farm, as well as protecting products from microbiological contamination.

AKU në vitin 2023 ka hartuar planin kombëtar të kontrolleve zyrtare bazuar në risk, nëpërmjet një metodologjie të re me asistencën e IPA II “Projekti i Sigurisë Ushqimore”, ku vlerësimi i operatorëve të biznesit, bëhet nëpërmjet profilizimit të riskut sipas një sistemi pikëzimi.

Kontrolli i zbatimit të legjislacionit të sigurisë ushqimore bëhet nëpërmjet kontrolleve zyrtare, monitorimit dhe verifikimit për përmbushjen e kërkesave ligjore nga operatorët e biznesit ushqimor, si dhe marrjes dhe analizimit të mostrave bazuar në vlerësimin e riskut dhe frekuencës së përcaktuar.

Protokollet e përdorura gjatë kryerjes së këtyre aktiviteteve nga AKU janë të njëjta me ato të përdorura nga autoritetet e vendeve të BE-së.

Për kryerjen e kontrollit zyrtar dhe funksionimin e sistemit të kontrollit zyrtar, autoritetet kompetente auditohen në mënyrë të rregullt nga shërbimet e Komisionit Europian”, pohon Ministria e Bujqësisë.

Por ekspertët këmbëngulin te forcimi i gjurmueshmërisë, pra zinxhiri që ndjek produktin nga operatori ekonomik që e prodhon e deri te konsumatori. Për drejtuesin e qendrës “Alert”, Granit Sokolaj, në këtë drejtim vijon të mbetet shqetësuese tregtimi i mallrave ushqimorë pa etiketë.

“Sistemi i gjurmueshmërisë në produktet e etiketuar dhe që shiten në mënyrë të ligjshme është i sigurt. Pra, AKU dhe vetë subjektet, në të gjitha rastet e problematikave, mund të gjurmojnë produktin dhe ta heqin nga tregu në raste alert-esh.

Shqetësimi i përhershëm, sidomos me produktet e fruta-perimeve, me mjaltin nga fermerë të vegjël apo dhe vezët me antibiotikë po nga këto ferma, është gjurmueshmëria, pasi në shumë raste nuk gjenden të dhëna fiskale apo dokumente tjera, për të ndjekur problemin deri në origjinë.

Problematike mbeten disa raste, siç e përmenda dhe më lart, produktet nga ferma të vogla si mjalti, vezët e fermave të vogla (kjo nuk duhet ngatërruar me prodhuesit e mëdhenj, me etiketë), vaji i ullirit, pasi mblidhet nga dhjetëra fermerë kokërr e më pas bëhet vaj në një fabrikë, pasi përzihen etj. Kjo ka nxjerrë në pah problematika në lidhje me gjurmueshmërinë.

Pra, pengesa reale në moskapjen e rasteve me probleme apo mospenalizimin e abuzuesve është tregtia e paformalizuar siç duhet.

Megjithatë, edhe shkëputja e zinxhirit, një pjesë të përgjegjësisë AKU, një pjesë AKVMB dhe në rastin e analizave pozitive nga ISUV, komunikimi me shkresa etj., bën që produkti të jetë shitur derisa të kryhet ndërhyrja”, tha zoti Sokolaj.

Problem mbetet edhe informimi i konsumatorit për rastet e produkteve të gjendura në shkelje të normave.

“Fatkeqësisht, komunikimi i riskut për konsumatorët mbetet në nivel shumë të dobët, veçanërisht për rastet e kontrolleve mbi bazë risku, sipas planit vjetor të AKU, për të cilat konsumatorët nuk informohen.

Edhe nëse merren masa për heqjen nga tregu të atyre produkteve, konsumatorët duhet të kenë informacionin e duhur që të mos blejnë X apo Y produkte/lote etj., deri në heqjen nga tregu, apo edhe nëse i kanë blerë, të mos i konsumojnë”, nënvizon zoti Sokolaj.

Sistemi i gjurmueshmërisë mbahet nga operatori i biznesit ushqimor sipas Ministrisë së Bujqësisë. Operatorët e Biznesit Ushqimor (OBU) kanë detyrimin për krijimin e një sistemi gjurmueshmërie për mbajtjen e të dhënave, për të mundësuar identifikimin e çdo personi fizik apo juridik, nga janë furnizuar apo kanë furnizuar.

“Këto të dhëna të mbajtura nga operatori i biznesit ushqimor shërbejnë për të identifikuar se në cilën hallkë të zinxhirit ushqimor ka ndodhur jo-konformiteti.

Sa më mirë të mbahen këto të dhëna nga operatori i biznesit dhe të vihen të plota dhe në kohë në dispozicion të AKU, pengesat në menaxhimin e rasteve jo-konform minimizohen”, pohon Ministria e Bujqësisë.

Food that is marketed or that can be marketed is labeled to ensure traceability. AKU as the institution responsible for the official control of food and animal feed plays an important role in the traceability system in the country.

"AKU conducts regular inspections in OBU and markets to ensure compliance with food safety standards.

This includes checking traceability documentation, to ensure that every product can be traced from origin to consumer. AKU, in the framework of risk management, undertakes immediate measures to block and withdraw these products from the market", the Ministry of Agriculture further underlines.

In 5 years, i.e. in the period 2019 to April 2025, the EU RASFF system for food safety control (Rapid Alert System for Food and Food) has issued 69 alert cases for Albanian exports.

For export products that have resulted in problems, they are fruits-vegetables, medicinal plants and fish products.

Specifically for Albania, out of a total of 69 cases of alerting identified in the system, it turns out that 26 have been classified as "serious"; 9 "potentially serious" cases; 13 with "potential risk"; 4 of them "risk-free"; 8 cases "without decision" and 9 of them "without risk".

19 cases categorized with "serious", "potential risk" and "potentially serious" alert are for the export of fruits and vegetables. 9 of them are for medicinal plants, spices and 6 of them are for the export product category "fish and fish products", for the presence of histamine above the limits in anchovy oil or for poor control of the temperature of frozen fish.

For the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the reporting of cases of pesticide residues in export from the EU rapid system is estimated to be low compared to the amount of exports.

"For 2024, there are only 4 reported shipments of pesticide residues originating from Albania for 947 exported shipments. Meanwhile, for the first 3 months of 2025, in 354 exported cargoes, only one consignment resulted in pesticide residues".

The use of pesticides above the norm is a concern for experts, not only for export products, but also for those sold in the domestic market.

Granit Sokolaj from the "Alert" center says that the increase in cases of farmers using pesticides above the allowed rate is influenced by informality. The lack of frequent check-ups at veterinary pharmacies is also a problem.

"The National Authority of Veterinary and Plant Protection (KPSMB) tries to control as many human capacities as it has, but the problem remains the Extension Service, the keeping of the farm register by farmers, or the fact that even when they keep it, they do not reflect the protocols as they have really followed them.

And of course they do not write in them the prohibited PMBs they may have used.

The control of agricultural pharmacies still remains a worrying problem, due to the fact that they are the ones that can also trade banned PMBs, or continue to sell pesticides to farmers without an agronomic recommendation/prescription. The same goes for veterinary pharmacies."

According to him, the number of cases of prosecution of farmers using prohibited pesticides is low compared to problematic cases.

“AKVMB deri para një apo dy muajsh nuk ka pasur të drejtën ligjore të inspektimit. Së fundmi kanë nisur dhe penalitetet nga ana e saj në ferma, kur është vënë re moszbatimi i protokolleve. AKU nuk e penalizon dot fermerin, por këtë e kryen nëpërmjet AVKMB“.

Nga ana tjetër, në vitin 2024, Shqipëria ka notifikuar 3 raste me mbetje pesticidesh për produktet e importuara nga vende të BE-së në Shqipëri dhe 8 raste për 3-mujorin e parë të vitit 2025.

Në lidhje me importet drejt Shqipërisë, rastet më të shpeshta janë ato me mbetje pesticidesh për ngarkesa të ardhura kryesisht nga Greqia dhe Italia.

“Këto janë raste të konstatuara nga AKU gjatë kryerjes së kontrollit zyrtar dhe të referuara në RASFF. Raste të tjera janë të veçuara dhe nuk janë raste të përsëritura që të përbëjnë problem për importet dhe menaxhim të këtyre rasteve”, tha Ministria e Bujqësisë.

Prej vitit 2022, fermerët janë të detyruar të mbajnë regjistrin e përdorimit të produkteve për mbrojtjen e bimëve, ose siç quhen ndryshe të pesticideve.

Përveç detyrimit për mbajtjen e regjistrit, ata janë të trajnuar dhe orientuar me kalendarët përkatës për kohën e përdorimit të pesticideve, por edhe me ngritjen e farmacive veterinare të licencuara për tregtimin e PBM-ve.

For the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Anila Denaj, the measures taken and the policies implemented to protect local production make it impossible to make spaces for non-compliant cases.

"Today the farmer has no reason to use prohibited pesticides. The list of pesticides in 2022 has taken out some of those that were previously allowed to be used. We are in 2025.

Why a farmer should use them even though we train them not only on the type of pesticide use, but also on the shortage calendar (time of use). In March alone, 3 thousand farmers were trained on the type of pesticides they should use.

They have even been asked not to buy them from the responsible state authorities, but to buy them at the points of agricultural pharmacies that have the obligation to sell pesticides.

Farmers who break the rules are very few, compared to thousands of others who enforce them. Why should a protocol overturned by some damage Albania's image? The issue should not be relativized, but the number of farmers and businesses aware is growing very high", highlighted Mrs. Denaj, among other things.

Albania is on the path of European integration and the legislation in the field of food safety has been prepared from the approximation of the EU acquis in this area and is in the continuous process of its preparation and updating based on the updates that the EU legislation undergoes.

The legislation is prepared based on the National Plan of European Integration for a period of three years and is reviewed annually.

Also, the implementation of the plan for the preparation of the legislation is regularly reported to the services of the European Commission.

Food safety legislation itself includes a number of production and service standards that are constantly increasing to guarantee a high level of food safety for the consumer.

In this context, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, investments and human resources in this area still remain necessary./MONITOR