Food Safety Office clears Moroccan pomegranates of rumored infestation

Rabat - Morocco’s Food Safety Office (ONSSA) has responded to widespread reports surrounding the detection of the false codling moth, also known as Thaumatotibia leucotreta, in a shipment of pomegranates exported from Morocco to Valencia, Spain. According to information obtained by SNRTnews, ONSSA dispelled these concerns, saying that its inspectors conducted thorough investigations at the relevant production and shipping units. Official laboratory analyses confirmed the absence of the pest in Moroccan pomegranates. While the analyses did reveal the presence of larvae of another worm type known as the “Citrus Leafminer,” ONSSA assured that this insect is common and widespread in the Mediterranean region, including Southern European countries and North Africa. Earlier this month, the European Commission reported the initial interception of the false codling moth in a shipment of pomegranates from Morocco. In response, Spain’s Valencian Farmers Association (AVA-ASAJA) expressed ...