LIFE SPENT LIVING ACFOOD INDUSTRY NEWS: Amendment of COMMISSION REGULATION EU No 1881/2006 with regards to Mercury levels in fish and salt.ROSS THE COUNTRY

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) adopted a statement on 19th December 2014, from its Scientific Committee on the benefits of consuming 1-4 servings of fish/seafood per week and protecting consumers against neurodevelopmental toxicity of methylmercury that could be present in fish.

Therefore, the intake of fish/seafood with high content of mercury needs to be limited. The European Union (EU) considered this scientific statement and reviewed the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 that set the maximum level of Mercury to be tested in food products.

Below are the amendments made by the new regulation (EU) 2022/16 of 12 April 2022, to lower or modify the limits of mercury in fish species and salt.

1. The Maximum limit for all crustaceans remains 0.50 mg/kg on the meat from appendages and abdomen. While for crab-like crustaceans such as (Brachyura and Anomura), limits apply to meat from appendages.

2. An addition of limits in subsection 3.3.3 of 1.0 mg/kg, for cephalopods, marine gastropods, and muscle meat of fish species such as Anchovy (Engraulis), Sardine or Pilchard (Sardina or Sardinops spp.), Sole (Solea solea; includes Southeast Atlantic Sole – Astroglossus microlepis); Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), and many more.