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Food Safety Contaminants
Food contaminants are substances not intentionally added to food but which may be present because of environmental pollution, agricultural practices or processing methods. EU food safety policy treats their control as essential because, even at low levels, some contaminants can create health risks over time.
Contaminants may occur at different stages of the food chain, from soil and water to processing and final production. The main categories identified by the EU include mycotoxins, plant toxins, heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic and tin, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as dioxins and PCBs, processing contaminants such as PAHs and 3-MCPD, and other substances including nitrates, melamine and perchlorate.
The EU controls these risks by setting legally binding maximum levels for many contaminants in specific food categories. These limits are based on scientific advice from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which assesses the health risks linked to particular substances.
Member States are responsible for monitoring the food supply, carrying out regular testing, and reporting the results to the European Commission and EFSA. This monitoring helps identify trends, emerging risks and the effectiveness of current legislation. Where contamination exceeds safe levels, the affected food products must be withdrawn or recalled.
Overall, the EU framework on contaminants combines scientific risk assessment, legal limits, national monitoring and market action in order to reduce long-term exposure to harmful substances and strengthen consumer protection across the food chain.
For further reference, read pages on Contaminants and Legislation.
Contaminants may occur at different stages of the food chain, from soil and water to processing and final production. The main categories identified by the EU include mycotoxins, plant toxins, heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic and tin, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as dioxins and PCBs, processing contaminants such as PAHs and 3-MCPD, and other substances including nitrates, melamine and perchlorate.
The EU controls these risks by setting legally binding maximum levels for many contaminants in specific food categories. These limits are based on scientific advice from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which assesses the health risks linked to particular substances.
Member States are responsible for monitoring the food supply, carrying out regular testing, and reporting the results to the European Commission and EFSA. This monitoring helps identify trends, emerging risks and the effectiveness of current legislation. Where contamination exceeds safe levels, the affected food products must be withdrawn or recalled.
Overall, the EU framework on contaminants combines scientific risk assessment, legal limits, national monitoring and market action in order to reduce long-term exposure to harmful substances and strengthen consumer protection across the food chain.
For further reference, read pages on Contaminants and Legislation.
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