Revision of the contaminants regulation (VHK)
On July 1st of this year, various laws and ordinances in Switzerland relating to food, nutrition, and consumer goods were updated. This has included, among others, the Ordinance on Maximum Levels for Contaminants (hereafter Contaminants Ordinance). This ordinance sets guidelines and maximum levels for various substances and compounds that are not intentionally added to the final product but are either unintentionally incorporated (e.g. mycotoxins) or may be formed during production (e.g. acrylamide). You can read more about acrylamide in our newsletter:
https://www.eurofins.de/lebensmittel/food-news/food-testing-news/wissenschaftliche-erkenntnisse-acrylamid/
The revised Contaminants Ordinance now also includes maximum levels for the heavy metal nickel, along with the T-2 and HT-2 toxins. Nickel is a metal that occurs throughout the environment and can enter food and drinking water naturally or through industrial and technological processes. Animal studies have shown that nickel can negatively impact the development of offspring. T-2 and HT-2, on the other hand, are Fusarium toxins. These are classified as mycotoxins, secondary metabolites produced by moulds. Fusarium toxins are primarily found in cereals and cereal products, and regulations for these products have therefore been introduced in the Contaminants Ordinance.
In addition, the substance delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is now only regulated for hemp seeds and hemp seed oil, including ground hemp seeds and derivative products.
A further change in the ordinance concerns table salt. A new maximum level of 0.5 mg/kg has been introduced for total arsenic (sum of As (III) and As (V)).
In addition, the maximum levels of some contaminants in specific products have been revised. For example, the maximum level for deoxynivalenol in unprocessed cereals has been reduced from 1,250 µg/kg to 1,000 µg/kg. Further, certain foods are now listed under specific contaminants that were previously unregulated or fell into a different food category. For example, “beans” are no longer classified under “vegetables” for perchlorate assessment, but are now listed separately with their own maximum level.
For these reasons, it is highly recommended to consult the updated Contaminants Ordinance to ensure your food products and derived goods comply with the current legal requirements.
Not sure how to assess your products or which analyses are appropriate? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.