IP/02/959
Brussels, 28 June 2002
Limits on presence of dioxin in food and feed enter
into force on 1 July
In November 2001 Council adopted a regulation setting legally binding limits
on the presence of dioxin in food (IP/02/1698). An equivalent Directive setting
maximum limits in animal feed was adopted at the same time (IP/02/1670)
These limits will come into force on Monday 1 July. Any food, feed or feed
material exceeding these strict limits is excluded from the food chain.
Commissioner David Byrne, responsible for Health and Consumer Protection,
stressed that the new dioxin limits in food and feed must be implemented vigorously
from next week onwards: "These measures are a key element of the comprehensive
strategy of the Commission to improve the safety of feed and food in response to the
dioxin contamination problems of the past. Very few countries in this world have any
binding limits for the presence of dioxin in place. Thus, the EU is paving the way
forward to improved public health protection."
The actions taken in relation to food and feed are part of an overall strategy to
reduce the presence of dioxins and PCBs in environment, feed and food. Measures
to limit or to eliminate the emission of dioxins into the environment through sourcedirected measures are of major importance to reduce the overall contamination by
dioxins.
The adopted Regulation on food is an amendment of the Commission Regulation
(EC/466/2001) on maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs. The
Directive on feed is an amendment to the Council Directive (1999/29/EC) on the
undesirable substances and products in animal nutrition, Both measures fix strict but
feasible maximum levels for dioxin in food and feed.
Council has conceded some derogation for Finland and Sweden for fish and fish
products consumed on the domestic market until 2006.
See also MEMO/01/270 of 20 July 2001 (Factsheet on dioxin in food and feed) at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/health_consumer/library/press/press170_en.pdf
Annex
Maximum limits for dioxin in food
Products
Maximum levels for dioxins
(PCDD + PCDF) (25)
(pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ/g fat or
product)
5.1.1 Meat and meat products (28)
originating from
- Ruminants (bovine animals, sheep)
- Poultry and farmed game
- Pigs
3 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ /g fat(26,27)
2 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ /g fat(26,27)
1 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ /g fat(26,27)
5.1.2 Liver and derived products
6 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ /g fat(26,27)
5.2. Muscle meat of fish and fishery
products (29) and products thereof
4 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ /g fresh
weight(26)
5.3. Milk (30) and milk products,
including butter fat
3 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ /g fat(26,27)
5.4 Hen eggs and egg products
(31,32)
3 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ /g fat(26,27)
5.5.Oils and fats
- Animal fat
- from ruminants
- from poultry and farmed game
- from pigs
- mixed animal fat
3 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ /g fat(26)
2 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ /g fat(26)
1 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ /g fat(26)
2 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ /g fat(26)
- Vegetable oil
0.75 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ /g fat(26)
- fish oil intended for human
consumption
2 pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ /g fat(26)
(25) Upperbound concentrations; upperbound concentrations are calculated assuming that all values of the different congeners
less than the limit of determination are equal to the limit of determination
(26) These maximum levels shall be reviewed for the first time by 31 December 2004 at the latest in the light of new data on
the presence of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs, in particular with a view to the inclusion of dioxin-like PCBs in the levels to be set
and will be further reviewed by 31 December 2006 at the latest with the aim of significantly reducing the maximum levels.
(27) The maximum levels are not applicable for food products containing < 1% fat.
(28) Meat of bovine animals, sheep, pig, poultry and farmed game as defined in Article 2 (a) of Council Directive 64/433/EEC
(OJ 121 29.7.1964, p. 2012), as last amended by directive 95/23/EC (OJ L 243, 11.10.1995, p.7) and Article 2(1) of Council
Directive 71/118/EEC (OJ L55, 8.3.1971, p. 23), as last amended by Directive 97/79/EC (OJ L24, 30.1.1998, p.31) and Article
2(2) of Council Directive 91/495/EC (OJ 268, 24.09.1991, p.41) as last amended by Directive 94/65/EC (OJ L 368, 31.12.1994,
p.10), excluding edible offal as defined in Article 2(e) of Directive 64/433/EEC and Article 2(5) of Directive 71/118/EEC.
(29) Muscle meat of fish and fishery products as defined in categories (a), (b), (c), (e) and (f) of the list in Article 1 of Council
Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 (OJ L 17, 21.1.2000, p.22). The maximum level applies to crustaceans excluding the brown
meat of crab and to cephalopods without viscera.
(30) Milk (raw milk, milk for the manufacture of milk-based products and heat treated milk as defined in Council Directive
92/46/EEC (OJ L 268, 14.9.1992, p.1) as last amended by Council Directive 94/71/EC (OJ L368, 31.12.1994, p.33).
(31) Hen eggs and egg products as defined in Article 2 of Council Directive 89/437/EEC (OJ L 212, 22.07.1989, p.87).
(32) Free-range or semi-intensive eggs as defined in Article 18 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1274/91 (OJ L121,
16.5.1991, p.1) must comply with the maximum level laid down as from 1 January 2004.”
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ANNEX: Maximum limits for dioxin in feedingstuffs
Feedingstuffs
Maximum content relative to a
feedingstuff with a moisture
content of 12 %
All feed materials of plant origin including
vegetable oils and by-products
Minerals
0.75 ng WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ//kg (1,2)
Animal fat, including milk fat and egg fat
2.0 ng WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ//kg (1,2)
Other land animal products including
milk and milk products and eggs and egg
products.
0.75 ng WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ//kg (1,2)
Fish oil
Fish, other aquatic animals, their
products and by-products with the
exception of fish oil(3)
Compound feedingstuffs, with the
exception of feedingstuffs for fur
animals, of feedingstuff for fish and of
feedingstuffs for pet animals
Feedingstuffs for fish
Feedingstuffs for pet animals
6 ng WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ//kg (1,2)
1.25 ng WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ//kg (1,2)
1.0 ng WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ//kg (1,2)
0.75 ng WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ//kg (1,2)
2.25ng WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ//kg (1,2)
(1) upperbound concentrations; upperbound concentrations are calculated assuming that all values of the different congeners
less than the limit of determination are equal to the limit of determination.
(2) These maximum limits shall be reviewed for the first time before 31 December 2004 in the light of new data on the
presence of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs, in particular with a view to the inclusion of dioxin-like PCBs in the levels to be set and
will be further reviewed before 31 December 2006 with the aim of significantly reducing of the maximum levels.
(3) Fresh fish directly delivered and used without intermediate processing for the production of feedingstuffs for fur animals is
exempted from the maximum limit. The products, processed animal proteins produced from these fur animals cannot enter the
food chain and the feeding thereof is prohibited to farmed animals which are kept, fattened or bred for the production of food.”
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