to ensure safe food, the European Council has adopted a regulation setting legally binding limits on dioxins and other contaminants in human food and animal feed. The regulation will be effective from July 1, 2002.
The regulation was adopted following the European Commission (ec) proposal for 'strict but feasible' maximum limits for dioxins in food. Any food exceeding the new limits will be excluded from the food chain now.
Reacting to the regulation, health and consumer protection commissioner, David Byrne, says, "I am pleased to see the ministers recognise that we need to be uncompromising and severe on contaminants in food. This new legislation, in setting legally binding limits, is a new milestone in the ec's feed and food safety strategy." He adds, "While these measures offer protection of consumer health, the ultimate goal must be to further reduce dioxin release at the source, to stop it from entering the environment."