On 22 March, the European Commission published Recommendation (EU) 2024/907 on monitoring nickel in food, according to the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). The main elements of the Recommendation include:

(1) Member States should monitor nickel levels in foodstuffs in co-operation with food operators during the years 2025, 2026 and 2027;

(2) The monitoring should cover food supplements, chocolate, chocolate spreads, nut butters, cocoa nibs, cereal-based products (in particular breakfast cereals, cereal flakes and oatmeal), ready-to-eat soups, coffee, tea, soy products such as vegetables, seaweeds, oilseeds, tofu and soya-based drinks, pulses, nuts, fish and other seafood;

(3) Where necessary, Member States shall collect knowledge on mitigation measures to reduce nickel levels in food. Member States should also ensure that known mitigation methods are effectively communicated and promoted to farmers and food business operators and that these mitigation measures are progressively implemented by farmers and food business operators;

(4) Sampling procedures and analyses shall be carried out in accordance with the sampling and analysis requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No 333/2007;

(5) Member States and food business operators shall provide monitoring data to the Authority on a regular basis, together with the information and electronic reporting formats specified by the Authority for compilation into a database. Chocolate samples shall state the cocoa solids content. Samples of tea shall indicate the type or variety of tea, including its Latin name. For seaweed, the species shall be reported, including its Latin name, and whether the data relate to fresh or dried seaweed.

Learn more: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202400907