Food Safety Update: June 2021

EU: Feedback on Regulation 1793/2019, Contaminants, Increased Controls and Emergency Measures

In recent news from the European Federation of the Trade in Dried Fruit, Edible Nuts, Processed Fruit & Vegetables, Processed Fishery Products (FRUCOM), the European Commission offered an update regarding the proposed changes of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 1793/2019 on the temporary increase of official controls and emergency measures governing the entry into the Union of certain goods from certain third countries.
 

• For Ochratoxin A, the European Commission and Member States consider appropriate the following limits: 8 ppb for dried vine fruit (currants, raisins and sultanas) and dried figs, 2 ppb for other dried fruit (including dates), 5 ppb for pistachios, the latter being approved in mid-June.
• For hydrocyanic acid, the discussion is still ongoing. A maximum level of 35 ppm is provisionally concluded for almonds, however, no final decisions have been made.

India: Prunes Not Subject to non-GM cum GM-Free Status Certificate Requirement

On April 13, 2021, the FAS New DelhiOffice of Agricultural Affairs secured confirmation from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) Director of Imports, Dr. Amit Sharma, that prunes from plums (Prunus domestica) are a processed food product (dried fruit). As such, prunes are not subject to the non-Genetically Modified (GM) cum GM-Free status certificate requirement.
 
According to FSSAI, the requirement to obtain a non-GM cum GM-Free status certificate for all food import consignments containing any of 24 specific foods (including fruits, vegetables, and grains) does not apply to processed food products in general.

Link to the USDA GAIN Report can be found here.