Brussels, 21/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - Between now and mid-2012, new measures will be applied throughout the EU to further secure the food chain against the risk of dioxin contamination. On Friday 21 October, experts from all 27 member states, on the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, approved a new regulation proposed by the Commission drawing the lessons of the dioxin crisis which hit Germany at the end of 2010-start of 2011 when industrial fats found their way into the food chain (see EUROPE 10322).
Under the terms of the regulation: - animal feed businesses processing crude vegetable oils, manufacturing products derived from oils of vegetable origin and blending fats, will have to be approved, and not only registered, by the competent authority; - fats intended for feed and food will now be strictly segregated during their production and transport from fats intended for technical usage, for example, in the chemical industry; - the labelling of the products must explicitly mention their intended use; - an EU-wide harmonised plan with compulsory minimum testing for dioxin depending on the risk inherent to the products, will be introduced (the testing will focus on risky products at the time they enter the feed chain, thus ensuring the efficient use of resources); - all laboratories will be obliged to directly inform the competent authorities of any excessive findings of dioxin.
Unless there are any objections from the Parliament or the Council, the regulation may be formally adopted within three months and come into force in the first half of next year. (AN/transl.rt)