E. coli infections can range from mild stomach upset to serious, sometimes life-threatening complications, especially in vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly. The recent outbreak resulted in dozens of cases of illness and even one death, underscoring the seriousness of such infections.

In October, the European Union has now completed the project to change the residue definition to “phosphonic acid and its salts expressed as phosphonic acid” in order to cover all entry routes of phosphonates via common maximum levels. However, it should be noted that fosetyl is no longer included in this definition. The standard value of 0.01 mg/kg, which is used for product-active substance combinations for which no specific maximum levels have been set, will also no longer apply here in future.

Contaminants play an important role in the marketability of foods, to which dietary supplements belong. But there are not always regulated maximum levels for every food and every contaminant. Especially for botanical raw materials for use in food supplements, which are often highly processed extracts, the assessment of marketability regarding contaminants can be a challenge.

Our partner Intercolab in Turkey has successfully obtained accreditation according to TS EN ISO/IEC 17020:2012!

This accreditation ensures that sampling is organised and carried out in accordance with the highest quality standards under accreditation. This ensures that reliability is guaranteed throughout the supply chain, from sampling to analysis.

Regulation (EU) 2023/915 is being updated to make the rules on contaminants in food clearer. These adjustments are listed in regulation (EU) 2024/1756. New rules are introduced for testing for certain substances in cereals, baby food and oat products. It also clarifies the rules for maximum amounts of harmful substances in rice products, animal products and cereal products. Below in tabular form is an overview of the changes effective July 16, 2024.