The ensaimadas were made outside the Balearic Islands and were being sold as fresh when they were an industrial, deep-frozen pastry product.

The Consell Regulador de la Ensaimada de Mallorca filed a complaint with the DG de Qualitat Agroalimentària i Producte Local (Directorate-General for Agri-food Quality and Local Produce)

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Agriculture seizes 500 ensaimadas

Inspectors from the Dirección General de Qualitat Agroalimentària i Producte Local, which is part of the Conselleria de Agricultura, Pesca y Medio Natural have immobilised 500 ensaimadas sold fraudulently at the airports of Mallorca and Ibiza.

Following a complaint from the Consell Regulador IGP Ensaïmada de Mallorca, a series of inspections were carried out: the first took place at Palma airport on 10 July, and 34 plain ensaimadas and 21 cream ensaimadas were immobilised; at Ibiza airport, the inspection took place on 20 July and 328 plain ensaimadas and 135 angel’s hair ensaimadas were immobilised.

The inspectors found that the ensaïmadas had been made and frozen by an industry outside the Balearic Islands, that they were transported to the islands frozen, and that they were marketed as a fresh product, without indicating on the labelling that it was a defrosted product. In addition, a sign with the indication Ensaïmada de Mallorca was found at Palma airport, and these products are not covered by the PGI.

In addition, the Directorate General for Health has been informed, since both at Ibiza and Mallorca airports, ensaïmadas with cream were found with eight months of shelf life, which could be a health risk.

The DG for Agri-Food Quality and Local Produce has already begun to process the corresponding disciplinary proceedings.

It is important to remember that in order to buy an Ensaïmada de Mallorca it is essential for consumers to check that there is the mention “Mallorca” on the label of the product, as well as the official logo of the PGI Ensaïmada de Mallorca.