EU contaminant limits and RASFF

In short

Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 sets the maximum levels for certain contaminants in food, including aflatoxins, and has applied since 25 May 2023. Nuts, dried fruit and spices are the classic cases, because mould can produce aflatoxins during growing, drying and storage. Food above the limits cannot be placed on the EU market.

Imports are checked at the border and by the member states. A non-compliant consignment can be rejected and reported in RASFF, the EU rapid alert system for food and feed, which is public. Some products from some countries have been put under increased official controls by an EU list, Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, which is updated from time to time. Brazil nuts in shell from Brazil were on that list from 2019 and were removed by a later amendment, so check the current annexes for your product.

The limits depend on the product and on how it is sold, for example in shell, shelled or ready to eat. Read the annex of the regulation for your product instead of relying on a single figure, and ask your laboratory which sampling and analytical methods EU law requires.

What it covers

• Maximum levels for aflatoxins and other contaminants in food
• Different limits by product and by how it is sold
• Rejection and public notification of non-compliant consignments in RASFF

What it does not cover

• It is not a certification: it is the legal minimum for every consignment
• A GFSI certificate does not replace lot analysis against these limits

Who asks for it

Every EU importer. Buyers usually ask for a certificate of analysis from an accredited laboratory with each lot.

How to check compliance

Ask for the lot’s certificate of analysis from an accredited laboratory, check the product and lot number match the shipment, and look up recent RASFF notifications for the product.

How a company prepares

1. Read the annex of Regulation (EU) 2023/915 for your product
2. Control moisture and storage to prevent mould, from drying to shipment
3. Sample and test each lot at an accredited laboratory using the methods EU law requires
4. Ship with the certificate of analysis and keep records by lot

Questions