Czech Republic blocks Chinese peanuts |
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Tue, 20 Feb 2007 23:35 |
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) - Authorities held back 21 tons of Chinese peanuts from entering the Czech market after the shipment was found to be contaminated with toxic substances, an official said Tuesday.Tests performed on the peanuts in Rudna near Prague showed they were contaminated with aflatoxins, carcinogenic substances produced by molds, said Jiri Bartak, spokesman for the Czech customs authority.Aflatoxins are associated with liver cancer in humans.Shipments of nuts from some countries outside the European Union, such as Turkey, Iran, Egypt or China, are regularly tested for aflatoxins at several points of entry into the EU. Rudna is one of those points in the Czech Republic.Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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