Last 13th April 2022, was published the Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/617 of 12 April 2022 amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards the maximum levels for mercury in fish and salt.
EFSA adopted an opinion on mercury and methylmercury in food in 2012 (1) expressing a concern regarding the exposure to methylmercury above the tolerable weekly intake, but advised taking into account the beneficial effects of fish consumption, if measures to reduce methylmercury exposure were considered .
In 2014, EFSA adopted an opinion (2) on the health benefits of consuming seafood versus the health risks associated with exposure to methylmercury, concluding that consumption of about 1 to 2 servings of seafood per week and up to 3 to 4 servings per week during pregnancy has been associated with better functional outcomes of neurodevelopment in children compared to no consumption of seafood. Such amounts have also been associated with a lower coronary heart disease mortality in adults.
On december 2014 EFSA adopted a statement on the benefits of fish/seafood consumption compared to the risks of methylmercury in fish/seafood (3), where it concluded that, to achieve the benefits of fish consumption associated with 1 to 4 fish servings per week and to protect against neurodevelopmental toxicity of methylmercury, the consumption of fish/seafood species with a high content of mercury should be limited.
Considering these outcomes the maximum levels for mercury should be reviewed to reduce the dietary exposure to mercury in food.
Maximum mercury levels are therefore lowered for various species of fish, cephalopods and marine gastropods to 0.50 or 0.30 mg/kg. For various fish such as shark and swordfish, but also pike, swordfish, tuna, etc., the level is maintained at 1.0 mg/kg.
A level of 0.10 mg/kg is also defined for food supplements and salt (in harmonisation with the level defined by the Codex Alimentarius).
This regulation shall enter into force the 3rd May 2022 and the foodstuffs legally placed on the market before this date may remain on the market until the date of minimum durability or use-by-date.
Mérieux NutriSciences provides a wide range of services (including testing) to food manufacturers for mercury and methylmercury quantification guaranteeing them to meet regulations and quality standards. Our laboratories are ISO17025 accredited (*)
(*) Click here to see our complete Scopes of ISO17025 accreditations
Consult to Regulation (EU) 2022/617 and Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 find out more about the changes.
- Scientific Opinion on the risk for public health related to the presence of mercury and methylmercury in food
- Scientific Opinion on health benefits of seafood (fish and shellfish) consumption in relation to health risks associated with exposure to methylmercury
- Statement on the benefits of fish/seafood consumption compared to the risks of methylmercury in fish/seafood