The National Food Agency of Georgia announced the European Commission had positively assessed the state system for controlling presence of aflatoxins - a various poisonous carcinogens and mutagens produced by certain moulds - in Georgian hazelnuts.

The Agency cited an audit by representatives of the Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, responsible for the monitoring and implementation of European Union policies and laws on health and food safety, from between September and October.

"The representatives were provided with appropriate documentation and information on the procedures carried out within the control system and presented a complete chain of inspection of products intended for export, with the officials assessing the effectiveness of the system at the central and regional levels.

The group of specialists of the Agency developed and submitted an action plan based on the auditors' recommendations, which was then approved by the representatives of the Directorate.

The positive evaluation of the latter will facilitate the export of Georgian hazelnuts to the European market without additional procedures and delays”, - the National Food Agency stated.