Traces of chemicals are sometimes detected in food and drinks: pesticides in fruit and vegetables, veterinary drugs in meat and other animal-derived products, or environmental contaminants in various foodstuffs. Regular controls help to ensure compliance with food safety rules and standards and protect consumers from potential risks. But how high are the levels of these substances in food and do they exceed existing official limits?
A new EFSA report aims to give non-specialists a balanced view of the findings of annual EU-wide monitoring of levels of chemicals in food. The report provides context that is sometimes lacking when examples of chemicals detected in food are reported by the media. For example, EFSA’s analyses of data collected from across Europe show that exceeding official limits is the exception rather than the rule.
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