The basic principles of EU legislation on contaminants in food are laid down in Council Regulation 315/93/EEC:

• Food containing a contaminant to an amount unacceptable from the public health viewpoint and in particular at a toxicological level, shall not be placed on the market

• Contaminant levels shall be kept as low as can reasonably be achieved following recommended good working practices

• Maximum levels must be set for certain contaminants in order to protect public health

Maximum levels for certain contaminants in food are set in Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006. Maximum levels in certain foods are set for the following contaminants:

• nitrate
• mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, patulin, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisins and citrinine)
• metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, inorganic tin, arsenic)
• 3-MCPD
• dioxins
• dioxin-like PCBs
• non dioxin-like PCBs
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) (benzo(a)pyrene) and sum of 4 PAHs)
• melamine
• erucic acid.