Dioxins

Testing of Dioxins & Dioxin-Like PCBs

The two new EU legislations upon dioxins & dioxin-like PCBs in foodstuffs and feedstuffs have been issued since this February (EU Regulation (EC)199/2006 on foodstuffs and EU Directive 2006/13/EC on feedstuffs). Both legislations set up the maximum levels of sums of dioxins and DL-PCBs in foodstuffs and feedstuffs and action levels (which are about 75% of the maximum level) in feedstuffs. Both legislations have been enforced since 4th November of 2006.

From then on, all the foodstuffs or feedstuffs are not allowed to be put in the market if the contents of dioxins or sums of dioxins & DL-PCBs exceed the maximum level. However, if the content of dioxins or the sums of dioxins and DL-PCBs in the products exceed the action level but are below the maximum level, these products are prohibited into market, but the manufacturer or dealer will have to investigate the contamination source of dioxins or DL-PCBs.

Dioxins and DL-PCBs are both the two kinds of POPs，whose toxiticities are about 10,000 times that of cyanide. Dioxins and DL-PCBs enter the human body throught the chain of environment - food chain- human. Due to the postion of humans at the top of the food chain and the long period of half-life of Dioxins and DL-PCBs, they are easily accumulated in the human body to high concentrations,resulting in harming human`s health.

Our laboratories constantly invest in R&D to develop and validate new analytical methods. We also keep a close eye, on a daily basis, on scientific developments and changes to national and international legislation

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