Directive 2010/6 - Amendment of Annex I to Directive 2002/32/EC as regards mercury, free gossypol, nitrites and Mowrah, Bassia, Madhuca - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 37/29

Directive 2002/32/EC provides that the use of products intended for animal feed which contain levels of undesirable substances exceeding the maximum levels laid down in Annex I to that Directive is prohibited.

As regards mercury, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded in its opinion of 20 February 2008 (2) that the current maximum level for complete feedingstuffs for fish (0,1 mg/kg) and the maximum level for feedingstuffs produced by the processing of fish and other marine animals (0,5 mg/kg) are not harmonised. Following recent developments in feed formulation, fish feed contains more fish oil and fish meal, but with the current legal provisions the availability of these valuable feed materials for the production of fish feed is endangered. In order to address this, a slight increase of the maximum level for fish feed is appropriate and this increase would not endanger the compliance of farmed fish with the established maximum levels for mercury. Furthermore it results from that opinion that the current maximum level for complete feedingstuffs for dogs and cats are not sufficiently protective. That maximum level should therefore be lowered. Since the degree of sensitivity of fur animals is similar to that of cats, that maximum level should also apply to fur animals.

As regards nitrites, EFSA concluded in its opinion of 25 March 2009 (3) that for pigs and cattle, as representative sensitive food producing species the margins of safety with respect to the respective No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) are sufficient. It considered furthermore that the presence of nitrite in animal products does not raise any concern for human health. Nitrite is already authorised with a maximum content of 100 mg/kg for use as a preservative in complete feedingstuffs for dogs and cats, with a moisture content exceeding 20 %, and as an additive in silage (4). Nitrite is therefore not to be considered as an undesirable substance in such complete feedingstuffs and in silage. Consequently, no maximum level should apply in these cases.

As regards gossypol, EFSA concluded in its opinion of 4 December 2008 that the current maximum levels for sheep, including lambs, and goats, including kids, are not sufficiently protective against adverse animal health effects. EFSA further concluded that the human exposure to gossypol through the consumption of food products from animals fed cottonseed derived products is probably low and would not result in adverse effects. Based on that opinion the maximum levels for sheep, including lambs, and goats, including kids, should be lowered.

As regard saponins in Madhuca longifolia L., EFSA concluded in its opinion of 29 January 2009 (5) that no adverse animal health effects are expected because of the negligible exposure of target animals in the Union. EFSA considers that human dietary exposure to Madhuca saponins is negligible, since Madhuca products are not consumed by humans and Madhuca meal is not used in the Union as a feed material. Therefore it is appropriate to delete the row concerning Mowrah, Bassia, Madhuca.

Directive 2002/32/EC should therefore be amended accordingly.

The...