The European Commission recently amended its regulations on maximum levels for dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in certain foods. Regulation (EU) 2022/2002, which amends Annexes of Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006, will go into effect January 1, 2023.
In 2018, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) adopted a scientific opinion about the risks posed to animal and public health related to the presence of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in feed and food. For the sum of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs ingested, EFSA established a tolerable weekly intake of 2 picogram (pg) toxic equivalence (TEQ) per kilogram (kg) of body weight. Estimates of chronic human dietary exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs based on the available data have indicated a significant exceedance of the tolerable weekly intake for populations of all age groups.