§ Dr. ThomasTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response his Department made to the proposal in the report of the 22nd session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants—March 1990—that the maximum level of total aflatoxins should be set at 10 micrograms per kilogram for all foods.
§ Mr. MacleanThe United Kingdom and a number of other EC states made it clear at the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants that we favoured a limit of 4 micrograms per kilogram for nuts and figs and their products for sale for human consumption.
§ Dr. ThomasTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Food Advisory Committee's consideration of the possibility of a one part per billion limit on aflatoxin in nuts for sale for human consumption.
§ Mr. MacleanThe committee concluded that it would be unrealistic to establish a limit for aflatoxin of I part per billion (ppb) at present. It recommended that the following statutory limits should be introduced
4 ppb total aflatoxin for nuts, dried figs and their products for sale, for incorporation in any compound food or for import for human consumption;10 ppb for such imports intended for further processing before sale or incorporation in any compound food for human consumption.The proposed limits of 4 ppb is as strict as any set by other EC member states.
§ Dr. ThomasTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when and in what form he will issue proposals for revised aflatoxin limits for consultation.
§ Mr. MacleanWe aim to consult on draft regulations under the Food Safety Act 1990 establishing maximum limits for aflatoxins in certain foods stuffs in the course of the next few months.