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24.8.2011 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union L
218/23
RECOMMENDATIONS
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
of 23 August 2011
on the reduction of the presence of dioxins, furans and PCBs in feed and food
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2011/516/EU)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
(5) The
World
Health
Organisation
(WHO)
held
an
expert
workshop on 28 to 30 June 2005 concerning the re-
evaluation of the values of the toxic equivalency factors
(TEFs) established by WHO in 1998. A number of TEF
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
values were changed, notably for PCBs, octachlorinated
Union, and in particular Article 292 thereof,
congeners and pentachlorinated furans. The data on the
effect of the new TEF values and the recent occurrence
are compiled in the European Food Safety Authority’s
(EFSA) scientific report ‘Results of the monitoring of
Whereas:
dioxin levels in food and feed’ ( 4 ). Therefore, it is appro
priate to review the action levels taking into account the
new TEF values.
(1) Several
measures
have
been
adopted
as
parts
of
an
overall strategy to reduce the presence of dioxins,
furans and PCBs in environment, feed and food.
(6) Experience
has
shown
that
in
some
foodstuffs
when
the
action levels are exceeded, it is not necessary to perform
investigations. In these cases the exceeding of the action
(2) Maximum
levels
for
dioxins,
the
sum
of
dioxins
and
level is not related to a specific source of contamination
dioxin-like PCBs have been set for feed by Directive
that can be reduced or eliminated, but to the overall
2002/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the
environmental pollution. Therefore, it is appropriate not
Council of 7 May 2002 on undesirable substances in
to set action levels for these foodstuffs.
animal feed ( 1 ) and for food by Commission Regulation
(EC) No 1881/2006 of 19 December 2006 setting
maximum levels for certain contaminants in
foodstuffs ( 2 ).
(7) In
these
circumstances,
Recommendation
2006/88/EC
should be replaced by this Recommendation,
(3) Action
levels
for
dioxins
and
dioxin-like
PCBs
in
food
have been set by Commission Recommendation
HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION:
2006/88/EC of 6 February 2006 on the reduction of
the presence of dioxins, furans and PCBs in feedingstuffs
and foodstuffs ( 3 ) in order to stimulate a pro-active
approach to reduce the presence of dioxins and dioxin-
like PCBs in food. These action levels are a tool for
1. Member States should perform, proportionate to their
competent authorities and operators to highlight those
production, use and consumption of feed and food,
cases where it is appropriate to identify a source of
random monitoring of the presence of dioxins, dioxin-like
contamination and to take measures for its reduction
PCBs and non-dioxin-like PCBs in feed and food.
or elimination. Given that the sources of dioxins and
dioxin-like PCBs are different, it is appropriate that
separate action levels are determined for dioxins on the
one hand and for dioxin-like PCBs on the other hand.
2. In cases of non-compliance with the provisions of Directive
2002/32/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, and in
cases where levels of dioxins and/or dioxin-like PCBs in
excess of the action levels specified in the Annex to this
(4) Action
thresholds
for
dioxins
and
dioxin-like
PCBs
in
Recommendation as regards food and in Annex II to
feed have been established by Directive 2002/32/EC.
Directive 2002/32/EC as regards feed are found, Member
States should, in cooperation with operators,
( 1 ) OJ L 140, 30.5.2002, p. 10.
( 2 ) OJ L 364, 20.12.2006, p. 5.
( 4 ) EFSA Journal 2010; 8(3):1385, http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/
( 3 ) OJ L 42, 14.2.2006, p. 26.
efsajournal/doc/1385.pdf

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L 218/24
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
24.8.2011
(a) initiate investigations to identify the source of contamination;
(b) take measures to reduce or eliminate the source of contamination.
3. Member States should inform the Commission and the other Member States of their findings, the results
of their investigations and the measures taken to reduce or eliminate the source of contamination.
Recommendation 2006/88/EC is hereby repealed as from 1 January 2012.
Done at Brussels, 23 August 2011.
For the Commission
John DALLI
Member of the Commission

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EN
24.8.2011 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union L
218/25
ANNEX
Dioxins (sum of polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), expressed as
World Health Organisation (WHO) toxic equivalent using the WHO-toxic equivalency factors (WHO-TEFs)) and dioxin-
like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), expressed as WHO toxic equivalent using the WHO-TEFs. WHO-TEFs for human
risk assessment based on the conclusions of the World Health Organisation (WHO) – International Programme on
Chemical Safety (IPCS) expert meeting which was held in Geneva in June 2005 (Martin van den Berg et al., The
2005 World Health Organisation Re-evaluation of Human and Mammalian Toxic Equivalency Factors for Dioxins and
Dioxin-like Compounds. Toxicological Sciences 93(2), 223–241 (2006))
Action level for
Food
Action level for dioxins +
furans (WHO-TEQ) (
dioxin-like PCBS

1 )
(WHO-TEQ) ( 1 )
Meat and meat products (excluding edible offal) ( 2 ) of the following
animals:
— bovine animals and sheep, 1,75
pg/g
fat
( 3 ) 1,75
pg/g
fat
( 3 )
— poultry, 1,25
pg/g
fat
( 3 ) 0,75
pg/g
fat
( 3 )
— pigs. 0,75
pg/g
fat
( 3 ) 0,5
pg/g
fat
( 3 )
Mixed fats 1,00
pg/g
fat
( 3 ) 0,75
pg/g
fat
( 3 )
Muscle meat of farmed fish and farmed fishery products 1,5
pg/g
wet
weight 2,5
pg/g
wet
weight
Raw milk ( 2 ) and dairy products ( 2 ), including butter fat 1,75
pg/g
fat
( 3 ) 2,0
pg/g
fat
( 3 )
Hen eggs and egg products ( 2 ) 1,75
pg/g
fat
( 3 ) 1,75
pg/g
fat
( 3 )
Fruits, vegetables and cereals 0,3
pg/g
product 0,1
pg/g
product
( 1 ) Upperbound concentrations: upperbound concentrations are calculated assuming that all the values of the different congeners less than
the limit of quantification are equal to the limit of quantification.
( 2 ) Foodstuffs listed in this category as defined in Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April
2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, p. 55).
( 3 ) The action levels are not applicable for food products containing < 2 % fat.

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