Contaminated spices and palm oils

The Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) published guidance in 2000 to food authorities on how best to deal with contaminated spices. See the LACORS website.

Since 30 July 2003, consignments of dried and crushed or ground chilli coming into the country must be accompanied by an analytical report showing they have been tested and are free of Sudan I (see Commission Decision 2004/92/EC). Sudan I is a red dye which is used for colouring solvents, waxes, petrol and shoe and floor polishes. Its presence is prohibited in food in the UK and the rest of the EU because in animal studies it has been shown to cause cancer.

With effect from 27 January 2004, this requirement has been extended to cover Sudan II, III and IV which are similar chemical dyes to Sudan I, and to curry powder, although it does not apply to whole chillies.

In the absence of the analytical report, relevant products will be detained under official supervision until the importer has had the product tested and has provided an analytical report confirming that the product is free from Sudan I, II, III or IV. Consignments found to contain these products will be seized and destroyed. Paprika is also covered by these arrangements.

From 23 May 2005 the European Commission extended checks for these Sudan dyes to apply to consignments of dried and crushed or ground curcuma (turmeric) and palm oil for direct human consumption. See Commission Decision 2005/402/EC, which extends the measures.

An increasing number of instances have become known of spices or other food ingredients being contaminated with very low levels of illegal dyes. In these cases there is a strong suggestion that rather than being present as a result of deliberate adulteration, the dyes may be present at very low levels as a result of accidental contamination from the environment or from machinery used to process the spice or other ingredient.

Following an EU Standing Committee of the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) meeting on 23 June 2006, Port Health Authorities will continue to reject products if the presence of illegal dyes is discovered at or above the level of 0.5 parts per million (0.5ppm). However, should contamination be discovered below this limit, or if the analytical report required under Commission Decision 2005/402/EC shows that there is less that 0.5ppm of Sudan dyes I to IV, the consignment need not be rejected. The action limit should apply irrespective of whether the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) or Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analytical methods have been used.

SCoFCAH, chaired by a European Commission representative and attended by representatives of EU Member States, meets normally twice a month, once on public health and once on animal health, to discuss any proposed legislation concerning the food supply chain.