Brussels, 14/10/2004 (Agence Europe) - The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health has voted in favour of a European Commission proposal to set maximum levels at EU level for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), in particular for benzo(a)pyrene. This applies to certain foods containing fats and oils and foods where smoking or drying processes might cause high levels of contamination. Maximum levels are also proposed for foods such as fish, where environmental pollution may cause high levels of contamination, for example resulting from oil spills. PAH have been shown to be carcinogenic and maximum levels are set to protect public health (see the Scientific Committee on Food's opinion of 4 December 2002).
In a press release, David Byrne, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, welcomed the agreement: “Contamination with PAHs has been on our agenda for some time. This follows the incidents of contamination in vegetable oils in particular in 2001. Interim local measures were put in place to manage the problem in the short term whilst more data was gathered. We also made a thorough investigation of production practices and other potential sources of contamination.”
The Standing Committee's green light means the regulation will be formally adopted by the European Commission in the near future.