Maximum levels of lead and cadmium in foodstuffs amended in EU
On the 9th and 10th of August 2021, the Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1317 and 2021/1323 has amended Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, as regards maximum levels of cadmium and lead, respectively, in certain foodstuffs (Text with EEA relevance).
Heavy metals are compounds found in the environment, from both natural and industrial and agricultural sources. Cadmium and lead are noted within these contaminants and they can occur as residues in food along the whole food chain, during production, processing, packaging, transportation and storage stages.
An evaluation of the most recent occurrence data gathered after the implementation of the mitigation measures shows that it is now achievable to reduce the presence of cadmium in many foodstuffs. Therefore, it is appropriate to lower the existing maximum contaminant levels for cadmium and lead or to establish maximum levels for other foodstuffs.
These Regulations, shall enter into force on 30th and 31st August 2021 respectively, revise the levels of lead and cadmium in certain foodstuffs. The most important changes are the following:
– The maximum levels of lead in the following food categories are reduced:
- Infant formulae and follow-on formulae marketed in powdered form.
- Processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children
- Foods for special medical purposes intended specifically for infants and young children marketed in powdered form
- Infant and young children’s drinks sold as such, other than those mentioned in 3.1.2 and 3.1.4:
- marketed in liquid form or to be reconstituted according to the manufacturer’s instructions, including fruit juices
- to be prepared by infusion or decoction
- Offal of bovine animals, sheep, pigs and poultry, with different limits depending on the species of origin of the offal.
– New maximum levels for lead are set for the following food categories:
- Infant formulae
- Roots and tubers (excluding salsify, fresh ginger and fresh turmeric), bulbs, inflorescences and corms of the genus Brassica, kohlrabi, leguminous and stem vegetables
- or Wild mushrooms, fresh turmeric, fresh ginger
- Wine (including sparkling wine and excluding liqueur wine), cider, perry and fruit wine, produced from the fruit harvest of 2022
- Aromatised wine, aromatised wine-based drinks and aromatised wine-product cocktails, produced from the fruit harvest of 2022
- Liqueur wine made from grapes, produced from the 2022 grape harvest
- Dried spices: fruit spices, root and rhizome spices, bark spices, bud spices, and flower stigma spices, seed spices
- Salt
New maximum levels for cadmium are established for the following food categories:
- Different types of tree fruits and nuts, root and tuber vegetables, bulbs, fruiting vegetables, brassica vegetables, leaf vegetables and herbs, leguminous plants, young stems, mushrooms
- Dried pulses and protein from dried pulses
- Various oilseeds (e.g. rapeseed, peanuts and soya beans, linseed and sunflower seeds, etc.)
- Different cereals (e.g. rye and barley, rice, quinoa, wheat bran and wheat gluten, durum wheat and wheat germ, etc.).
- Foods for special medical purposes intended for infants and young children
- Young children formulae
- Baby food for infants and young children, marketed liquid or to be reconstituted according to the manufacturer’s instructions, including fruit juices
- Salt.
The maximum contaminant levels established for these products remain:
- Specific cocoa and chocolate products
- Products of animal origin: meat and fish
- Infant formulae and follow-on formulae (only the term “powdered infant formulae” and “liquid infant formulae” is replaced by “marketed as powder” and “marketed as liquid” respectively).
- Processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children
- Food supplements excluding the food supplements referred to in the following item
- Food supplements composed exclusively or mainly of dried seaweed, products derived from seaweed, or of dried bivalve molluscs
Foodstuffs listed in the Annex that were lawfully placed on the market before the entry into force (30th August 2021 for lead levels and 31st August 2021 for cadmium levels) may remain on the market until 28 February 2022.
Consult to Regulation (EU) 2021/1317 and Regulation (EU) 2021/1323 find out more about the changes.
