For a number of administrative and legal reasons it will not be possible for the UK Statutory Instrument to come into force by 1 January 1999 (the date that the Commission Regulation comes into force). During the intervening period, however, sufficient enforcement measures will remain in place via the existing 1992 UK Regulations and the main provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 to ensure that an appropriate level of consumer protection is maintained.

The new Statutory Instrument will revoke and replace the existing “Aflatoxin in Nuts, Nut Products, Dried Figs and Dried Fig Products Regulations 1992. These Regulations contain detailed procedures to be followed by enforcement authorities. This detail will be contained in guidance, possibly in the form of a Code of Practice made under Section 30 of the Food Safety Act 1990. A separate consultation will take place on this next year.

Comments are requested by 15 January 1999.