Brand of brown rice recalled because of toxins

The health ministry’s public health service ordered on Wednesday the recall of a brand of brown rice from the Cypriot market due to high levels of ochratoxin A.

Ochratoxin A is a mycotoxin naturally produced by moulds that can be found in a variety of food including cereal, fruit, cheese and preserved meats.

The EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) reported abnormally high levels of the toxin in certain batches of organic brown basmati rice by the brand Smart Organic.

The public health service has already asked retailers to recall the product. Meanwhile, members of the public who might have already bought some are asked to check the packaging for the information below.

Product name: Smart Organic organic brown basmati rice

Batch numbers: 20141, 20142, 20164

Weight: 500g

Best before date: 31/03/2022

Consumers are advised to refrain from consuming the product and to return it to their point of purchase.