Govt. raises permitted level of aflatoxin in milk

The Serbian government has decided to raise the maximum permitted level of aflatoxin in milk from 0.05 to 0.5 micrograms per kilogram.

Izvor: B92

Thursday, 28.02.2013.

16:29

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BELGRADE The Serbian government has decided to raise the maximum permitted level of aflatoxin in milk from 0.05 to 0.5 micrograms per kilogram. Agriculture Minister Goran Knezevic has said that the government has received assurances from all competent institutions – the Health Ministry, Military Medical Academy (VMA) and the Batut Institute of Public Health, that the new maximum level of aflatoxin does not represent a health risk. Govt. raises permitted level of aflatoxin in milk He reiterated that this level of aflatoxin had been permitted until two years ago. “Those amounts cannot have a negative effect on people’s health and it will allow us to export milk to two thirds of the world,” Knezevic told a press conference. The minister said that the Agriculture Minister had the government’s full support and announced that changes to the Law on Food Safety would soon be made. He explained that a decision to change the aflatoxin rules was not Serbia’s obligation but simply copying of the EU rules. Knezevic added that Russia, the U.S., Brazil, Argentina, India and some EU member states such as Bulgaria had laws that permitted 0.5 micrograms of aflatoxin per kilogram. He said that results of the analysis performed in the Netherlands were yet to come and reiterated that dairy products on the Serbian market were completely safe and that all suspicious products had been taken off shelves. “Production of raw milk has been banned at 73 farms in Serbia after inspection of 1,189 samples of cattle fodder and 48 batches of milk have been withdrawn from the stores,” the agriculture minister explained. He pointed out that all dairy products containing higher levels of aflatoxin would be destroyed and that all products safe to consume would be returned to stores. Knezevic added that between five and 15 percent of corn contained increased levels of aflatoxin each year and that the last year was an exception due to severe drought. The minister told B92 on Monday that Serbia had adopted many bills in the “euphoria of EU-fanaticism”, including the regulation on toxins in dairy products, even though it had not been able to follow it. The Agriculture Ministry has announced that it will propose the government measures aimed at helping farmers whose milk contains higher levels of aflatoxin. Goran Knezevic (Tanjug, file) B92 Beta Tanjug

Govt. raises permitted level of aflatoxin in milk

He reiterated that this level of aflatoxin had been permitted until two years ago.

“Those amounts cannot have a negative effect on people’s health and it will allow us to export milk to two thirds of the world,” Knežević told a press conference.

The minister said that the Agriculture Minister had the government’s full support and announced that changes to the Law on Food Safety would soon be made.

He explained that a decision to change the aflatoxin rules was not Serbia’s obligation but simply copying of the EU rules. Knežević added that Russia, the U.S., Brazil, Argentina, India and some EU member states such as Bulgaria had laws that permitted 0.5 micrograms of aflatoxin per kilogram.

He said that results of the analysis performed in the Netherlands were yet to come and reiterated that dairy products on the Serbian market were completely safe and that all suspicious products had been taken off shelves.

“Production of raw milk has been banned at 73 farms in Serbia after inspection of 1,189 samples of cattle fodder and 48 batches of milk have been withdrawn from the stores,” the agriculture minister explained.

He pointed out that all dairy products containing higher levels of aflatoxin would be destroyed and that all products safe to consume would be returned to stores.

Knežević added that between five and 15 percent of corn contained increased levels of aflatoxin each year and that the last year was an exception due to severe drought.

The minister told B92 on Monday that Serbia had adopted many bills in the “euphoria of EU-fanaticism”, including the regulation on toxins in dairy products, even though it had not been able to follow it.

The Agriculture Ministry has announced that it will propose the government measures aimed at helping farmers whose milk contains higher levels of aflatoxin.

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