Albanian Daily News
Albania’s food safety authorities have blocked 15 truckloads of maize imported from Serbia after tests indicated possible contamination with aflatoxin, a highly dangerous toxin for both animals and humans.
The 420-tonne shipment was stopped at the Hani i Hotit border crossing as inspectors enforced an order from new Agriculture Minister requiring laboratory testing of every maize load entering the country. According to sources cited by local media, samples have been sent not only to Albania’s veterinary institute but also to accredited laboratories in Belgium and Italy, where results are processed more quickly.
Aflatoxin, classified by the World Health Organization as a potent carcinogenic toxin, can enter the human food chain through animal products, particularly milk, if livestock consume contaminated feed.
The first positive results were recorded on 7 November, when officials blocked a 25-tonne batch of Serbian maize. The latest shipment was also destined for Albanian livestock farms, which rely heavily on imported grain due to declining domestic maize production. Farmers say lower subsidies in Albania and cheaper production costs in Serbia have made the country increasingly dependent on foreign feed — a reliance that now carries significant safety risks.