U.K.authorities find high levels of non-compliance in feed analysed for mycotoxins and GM feed

The U.K. Food Standards Agency has published the results of sampling and surveillance, during 2009/10 of food and feed imported into the UK, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to AquaFeed.Com.

The Food Standards Agency works with enforcement authorities across the UK to monitor and improve the control of imported feed entering the UK. 233 samples were analysed for the presence of undesirable substances and undeclared GM material.

Enforcement authorities sampled a wide range of imported feedingstuffs, but the focus was on feed materials (particularly cereal and soya products)

Twelve samples (5.2%) failed to meet the requirements of the EU legislation. Enforcement authorities found high levels of non-compliance in feed analysed for mycotoxins and GM feed; GM failures applied to labelling requirements rather than unauthorized GM feed varieties. Non-compliance was found in samples analysed for hazardous metals (3.6%). All samples analysed for PCBs/dioxins and melamine were compliant.

All of the GM feed samples were found to contain traces of approved GM events. The presence of GM in the affected consignments was found to be adventitious and not at levels which would suggest that GM soya was being passed-off as being free of GM.

The non-complying trace elements were copper sulphate from Russia and zinc oxide from Turkey. In both cases the total levels of arsenic found exceeded that permitted. The zinc oxide was also found to contain higher than permitted levels of lead. The samples were surveillance samples taken from small amounts of product and investigations revealed that all stocks had been exhausted and further work is being undertaken to establish if the results are indicative of a wider problem with these materials. The Agency's National Enforcement Priorities on Feed Law Enforcement for 2010/11 include reference to the importance of sampling trace elements for the presence of undesirable substances and trace elements have again been included in the imported feed sampling grant program for 2010/11.

The agency concluded that continual monitoring of imported food and feed is necessary to establish trends in non-compliance and indicate whether statutory controls need amendment. As a result, the Agency intends to make additional funding available to UK enforcement officers in 2010/11.