With Regulation (EU) 2021/1408 amending Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in food, new maximum levels for tropane alkaloids (atropine and scopolamine) will come into force from September 1st, 2022 in the following products: processed cereal-based foods, unprocessed corn, buckwheat & millet and herbal teas.

Foods (except for the listed grain-based foods) that were lawfully placed on the market before September 1st, 2022, may be sold until their best-before or use-by dates.

GBA Group has developed a method for PFAS analysis. The accredited routine parameter of the GBA Group can detect a spectrum of 28 substances with highest sensitivity. The product groups meat, fish, eggs, fruit, vegetables, baby food and milk are covered and limits of determination below the specified maximum levels are achieved, so that even traces of the substances can still be detected.

From July 2022, new maximum levels for pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) in food will apply throughout Europe. These were already adopted by the Standing Committee of the EU Commission at the end of June 2020 and included in Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs. Foods that were lawfully placed on the market before July 2022 may continue to be marketed until the end of 2023.

Food must meet a wide range of requirements before it can be sold to consumers. Like the BVL in Germany, we at the GBA Group also ensure food safety at manufacturer level worldwide. Particularly important here is the analysis of maximum residue levels. This is the only way to ensure the safety of a food product.

The new year gets off to a healthy start with a theme week celebrating "German Apple Day”. No other fruit is as popular in Germany as the apple. On average, every German consumes around 9kg of apples a year - the equivalent of almost 60 apples.