News on Perchlorate

Go back

Feb 6, 2018 - Analytics

News on Perchlorate

Perchlorates are salts of perchloric acid, which naturally occur, for example, in certain fertilizers like Chile saltpeter or as a result of industrial uses (among others, in disinfectants) in the environment and can therefore lead to contamination of plant-based foods. Since 2013, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has been tasked by the EU Commission with conducting comprehensive risk assessments of perchlorate. In November 2017, a new exposure assessment by the EFSA regarding perchlorate was published as part of a monitoring study.

The EFSA's CONTAM Panel (The Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain) has now presented its conclusions regarding the new exposure assessment for perchlorate to the EU Commission in the form of a draft, which also includes initial proposals for new regulatory levels to further lower the current interim values.
Accordingly, the CONTAM Panel considers that the exposure now determined corresponds to the exposure from 2014. In 2014, the EFSA calculated a tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 0.3 µg per kg body weight for perchlorate in the framework of a scientific opinion. Furthermore, the CONTAM Panel confirms the EFSA's conclusion that both chronic and short-term exposure to perchlorate represent a potential health risk for consumers.

Regarding the "regulatory levels," a halving of the current interim values is proposed for most products and product groups. For a few products and product groups such as spinach, kale, and tea, the current interim values remain unchanged. We will keep you updated on further developments concerning perchlorate.

In our Tentamus laboratories, we routinely conduct tests for perchlorate. We deliver fast and reliable results.

Our customer advisors are available to assist you with any questions.

Source: Federal Association of the German Food and Drink Industries e.V.: www.bll.de