The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) is introducing a change in the regime of enhanced monitoring of incoming shipments of milk and dairy raw materials from European Union (EU) member states and third countries, the Agency announced.
The main change is that control and sampling will be carried out at the sites of destination, and not at border crossings. For raw milk intended for the production of dairy products with a maturation period of 60 days or more, it will be allowed to be directed to processing without waiting for the results of laboratory analyses. For all other product categories, the raw material should be stored refrigerated in dairy processing plants until the results of the tests are received.
The change also provides for the testing of five percent of raw milk shipments for the presence of aflatoxin M1 based on a risk assessment. Until the results are available, the milk will need to be pasteurized, cooled, and stored under control.
Laboratory tests for the remaining raw materials remain unchanged. For each shipment of raw and partially dehydrated milk, milk powder, whey powder, milk derivatives and other temperature-treated milks, a documentary check, a physical check and an identity check will be carried out.
If non-compliance with the requirements of national and European legislation is established, the BFSA will take all the administrative measures provided for.
The changes are set out in an order of the Executive Director of the BFSA and enter into force on June 19, 2026, with a validity period until June 30, 2026.
The new approach retains the enhanced control that will be carried out in processing plants and warehouses, and introduces a more flexible organization of follow-up actions in order to ensure both the high level of consumer protection and the normal functioning of the dairy processing sector.
In order to effectively organize the control, business operators are required to notify the BFSA no later than 48 hours before the arrival of the shipments at the border entry point.