FSA Letter, 2 June 2009

CONTAMINANTS – Food Contaminants: FSA Update Letter for June 2009

The following subjects have been covered in the letter from the FSA. A copy of the letter is available on this site. See: Contaminants Update Letter - June 2009

Chemical Migration from Food Contact Materials (Policy and Legislation)

• New Regulation published on Active and Intelligent Packaging
• New Regulations on food contact plastics
• Guide to Compliance and Business Documentation
• Latest meeting of the European Commission’s Working Group
• 6th Amendment to EU food contact plastics rules
• FVO mission to the UK later this year

Chemical Migration from Food Contact Materials (Science)

• The 49th meeting of the Working Party on Materials and Articles in Contact with Food or Drink (WPMACFD)

Nitrates

• Limits in Spinach and Lettuce
• Process Contaminants
• Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (CCCF) - Update
• Research Proposal on 3-MCPD esters
• EFSA Report on monitoring of acrylamide levels in food
• JECFA call for data

Environmental Contaminants (Inorganic)

• The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) opinion on cadmium
• Cadmium levels in crab
• Research on Arsenic in Rice

Mycotoxins

• Setting of maximum limits for T2/HT2 toxins in cereals and cereal products
• Review of current maximum limits for Fusarium toxins
• Changes to Community legislation as regards aflatoxins including alignment of maximum limits with those agreed at
• Codex and limits for oil seeds
• Ochratoxin A in spices
• Article 15(5) of Regulation 882/2004 as regards high-risk list and alignment with Commission Decision 504/2006/EC
• Publication of revised Guidance Document on aflatoxin controls
• Updated list of USDA labs under the VASP scheme for US almonds
• Research project reports that have been published
• Annex USDA VASP Labs May 2009 update
• Annex Working Document

Other Contaminants (source not identified)

• Nicotine in dried mushrooms

Environmental Contaminants (Organic)

• Lamb & Sheep Liver
• Irish Dioxin Incident
• Limits for Infant Food
• Non dioxin-like PCBs
• Review of Limits
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons