Food Contaminants
Contaminants are substances that have not been intentionally added to food. These substances may be present in food as a result of the various stages of its production, packaging, transport or holding. They also might result from environmental contamination. Since contamination generally has a negative impact on the quality of food and may imply a risk to human health, the EU has taken measures to minimise contaminants in foodstuffs.
These contaminants include:
- mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, fusarium-toxins, patulin),
- metals (cadmium, lead, mercury ,inorganic tin),
- dioxins and PCBs,
- polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH),
- 3-MCPD and nitrates.
The EU has a fact sheet (pdf format) on these contaminants: Managing food contaminants: how the EU ensures that our food is safe.