New EU Requirements for Melamine Level in Canned Pet Food

19 Apr 2013 --- The European Union (EU) released Commission Regulation (EU) No 107/2013 in the Official Journal on 6 February 2013 amending the Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 2002/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the council as regards to maximum levels for melamine in canned pet food.

The new regulation entered into force on 26 February 2013.

Following the melamine contamination in pet food crisis in 2007 and melamine contamination of food products in 2008, further research was conducted and new information is now available.

The Commission Regulation (EU) No 107/2013 was announced in the official Journal amending the Annex I of regulation (EC) No 2002/32/EC with regard to maximum levels for melamine in canned pet food. New research has revealed that melamine, used in the coating of pet food cans, can migrate into the pet food. In accordance with the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) scientific opinion on melamine in food and feed, a specific migration limit (SML) of 2.5 mg/Kg has been set for canned food with the same coating. This was established by Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 of 14 January 2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food as amended by regulation (EU) No 1282/2011 and is now being expanded to canned pet food.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission has established maximum levels for melamine in feed and food which are to apply to feed as sold, while the maximum levels established in Directive 2002/32/EC concern feed with a moisture content of 12%.

Recently provided information has demonstrated that melamine can migrate from a can coating into wet pet food at a level above 2.5 mg/Kg relative to a feed at 12% moisture content, but below the (SML) of 2.5 mg/Kg in the wet pet food. In light of this development in scientific and technical knowledge, it is appropriate to establish the maximum level 2.5 mg/Kg for melamine for canned wet pet food on an 'as sold' basis, in line with what is foreseen for canned food and by Codex.

The recently published SGS news bulletin depicts the changes to Row 7 of Section I of Annex I to Directive 2002/32/EC.