Legal provisions governing mycotoxins in food and feed
One basic remit of consumer protection is to reduce toxic substances like mycotoxins in food and feed as far as possible.
In Germany a maximum level regulation for aflatoxins in food was already introduced in 1976 to reduce mycotoxin contamination. In 1999 it was taken over into the Ordinance laying down maximum levels for mycotoxins (MHmV) and in 2004 it was extended to include provisions on ochratoxin A, fumonisins, deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in various foods. The national measures are supplemented by a maximum level regulation for contaminants in foods which entered into force on 8 March 2001 throughout the EU. On 6 June 2005 its scope was extended to fusarium toxins - deoxynivalenol and zearalenone, in addition to the mycotoxins it already covered - aflatoxins, ochratoxin A and patulin.
Article § 17 Food and Feed Code (LFGB) stipulates that it is prohibited to manufacture, treat, place on the market or administer feedstuffs to animals in such a way that when administered properly and correctly, they can impair the quality of products obtained from domestic animals, impose a burden on the environment or damage the health of animals and man.
In feed law mycotoxins are treated as adverse substances which are contained in or on feed and which may have an adverse effect on the health of animals or the production of domestic animals or the residues of which may impair the quality of products obtained from domestic animals, particularly regarding their safety for human health. However, Annex 5 to the valid version of the Animal Feed Ordinance only contains maximum levels for aflatoxin B1 in various feedstuffs.
