March 2007 update on environmental contaminants in food

Thursday 15 March 2007

This update contains information on on-going and forthcoming issues relating to environmental contaminants in food.

Full details can be read at the link below. Topics covered in this March 2007 edition include:

• Commission proposals to set maximum levels for heavy metals in food supplements
• confirmation that the definition for fruit, included in Commission Regulation 1881/2006, does not include tree nuts and, therefore, maximum permitted limits for lead and cadmium are not applicable to these foods
• Commission proposals to raise the current cadmium limits for bullet tuna and mackerel and updates on proposals to set maximum levels for cadmium in oil seeds, mushrooms and chocolate
• notification that following recommendations made in a Scientific Committee of Food (SCF) statement issued on iodine in seaweed, that discussions on this issue will be discontinued at European level