The European Commission (EC) recently updated its regulation on maximum levels (MLs) for ochratoxin A, a type of mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi, in foods. Ochratoxin A may be carcinogenic to consumers, and is formed during sun drying and storage of crops. The growth of the mycotoxin can be prevented by employing good drying and storage practices.
The changes were made based on the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA’s) 2020 scientific opinion on the level of exposure to ochratoxin A that may pose a public health risk. Although MLs for the mycotoxin were already established for certain foods in a prior EC regulation, the new regulation sets MLs for certain foodstuffs for which no MLs have been described, as well as amends MLs for certain commodities based on the most current available scientific knowledge.