FSA Letter, 21 February 2003

PARNUTS - Commission Directives 2003/13/EC and 2003/14/EC (Baby foods, infant foods and infant formulae)

Commission Directive 2003/13/EC amending Directive 96/5/EC on processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children and Commission Directive 2003/14/EC amending Directive 91/321/EEC on infant formulae and follow-on formulae

The above Directives have been adopted and published in the Official Journal (OJ No. L41 of 14/2/2003 p33-36 and p37-40). They make the following amendments to extend the provisions on pesticide residues in processed cereal-based foods, baby foods, infant formulae and follow-on formulae:

• list those pesticides which are not permitted to be used in agricultural products intended for the production of these foods and, for the purposes of control, sets a maximum residue level of 0.003 mg/kg for these pesticides in the ready-to-eat or reconstituted product, and
  
• set specific maximum residue levels in ready-to-eat or reconstituted processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children, infant formulae and follow-on formulae for certain authorised pesticides that are still used

The Directives require Member States to authorise trade in products complying with these provisions by 6 March 2004 and to prohibit trade in products that do not comply by 6 March 2005.

Member States are required to adopt measures to implement these provisions by 6 March 2004. The Agency will be consulting on draft implementing legislation in due course.