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| July
2007 |
| Request for Comments on Proposed
Mycotoxin Limits |
| A letter was sent out by the
Food Standards Agency in June 2007 containing
information on ongoing and forthcoming issues
relating to agricultural, industrial and
environmental contaminants in food and seeking
views and opinions from the industry on a
range of matters. |
For mycotoxins, the Commission
has requested comments by the 30th June 2007
on the setting of maximum limits for ochratoxin
A in various foodstuffs and on proposals
for maximum limits for fusarium toxins in
maize and maize products. |
Setting
of Maximum Levels for Ochratoxin
A in various foodstuffs
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| Comments
were requested in June of last year
with regards to setting limits for
ochratoxin A in various commodities
including liquorice and spices. Based
on this information, the Commission
has agreed not to change the limits
currently in place for ochratoxin A
and no limits will be set for green
coffee, cocoa beans, meat, offal, liquer
wines, beer and other dried fruit other
than dried vine fruits. |
However
they have produced draft regulations
setting limits of 20ppb for ochratoxin
A in liquorice root and 80ppb for liquorice
extracts. In addition two possible
options for setting maximum limits
for ochratoxin A in certain spices
is still under discussion: |
| Option
1 : for Ochratoxin A in Spices |
Maximum
limits of 30ppb from 1st Jan
2008 (until Dec 2009)
Then maximum limits of 15ppb from 1st Jan 2010 |
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| Option
2 : for Ochratoxin A in Spices |
| The
maximum limit of 15ppb from 1st
Jan 2009 |
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Discussions
on Fusarium Toxins in Maize and
Maize products
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| Following
comments from the industry, the distribution
of fusarium toxins in different milling
fractions were discussed and different
limits for fraction sizes above and
below 500 microns are being considered.
A limit of 400ppb is also under discussion
for babyfood.
A limit of 1000ppb for fumonisins
in maize based products, maize
oil and maize intended for direct
human consumption is under consideration
along with a separate limit of
800ppb for breakfast cereals.
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The
Food Standards Agency also requested
any data on the occurrence of aflatoxins
in nuts in order to assess consumer
risk, particularly for “ready-to-eat” almonds,
hazelnuts and pistachios.
A complete copy of this
document is available from
the Food Standards Agency
and any comments should
be sent to wendy.matthews@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
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| Good
Performance in FAPAS rounds |
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Since 1998, R-Biopharm
Rhône Ltd has been a regular participant
in the FAPAS proficiency test rounds.
These tests are an essential element
of laboratory quality assurance and allow
laboratories to have their routine procedures
and analytical results compared with
those from other labs. Over the years,
the FAPAS rounds have been used to analyse
many different types of matrices for
a wide range of residues including mycotoxins.
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So far this year, R-Biopharm
Rhône have taken part in 7 rounds
focusing on the analysis of aflatoxin,
ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone
and fumonisin. The results in all cases
were found to be acceptable and were
within the specified range of z-scores.
RBR also plan to take part in a further
19 mycotoxin FAPAS rounds before the
end of 2007.
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| For further information
on any of the results from these rounds,
please contact
us. |
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| © 2002 R-Biopharm Rhone Ltd |
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