Wine containing antibiotic banned in Europe

Wine containing an antibiotic, natamycin, has been withdrawn from sale in Germany because, while it doesn't pose a threat to humans, it is a banned substance in wine in Europe. The 5 contaminated wines were sourced from Argentina. The state analytical laboratories in Rheinland-Pfalz have been analysing wines from non-EU countries since the beginning of November and the 5 contaminated wines out of 146 analysed were sourced from Argentina.

Importers and distributors are now having wines in their portfolios tested by private laboratories and apparently similar investigations have been initiated in Argentina to establish how the natamycin came to be in the wines.