High levels of erucic acid in foods preserved in oil

Thursday 2 September 2004

Category C: For action as deemed necessary

Ref: Ref 41/2004

Heads of Environmental Services and Directors of Trading Standards will wish to be aware of the results of a survey conducted by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) of erucic acid in certain foods preserved in oil. The survey was carried out in response to a smaller scale survey by a local authority earlier this year. These surveys found levels of erucic acid in certain imported pickles, sauces and preserved vegetables, manufactured outside the EC, that exceeded the statutory limit (5% erucic acid in fat or oil), as prescribed by The Erucic Acid in Food Regulations 1977.

Erucic acid is a substance naturally found in some plant-derived oils, primarily in some varieties of mustard seed oil and high erucic acid rapeseed oil. Although there have been no confirmed cases of erucic acid toxicity in humans, it has been linked to causing fatty deposits in, and inflammation of, heart muscle in animals.

Identification of the affected products
The surveys have identified 16 products, which exceeded the legal limit. The full list can be found at the link below. To assist local authorities in the correct identification of these products, pictures of 12 of the products are also attached below.

Action taken by the Food Standards Agency
The FSA are contacting the relevant competent authorities of the originating countries so that they may undertake further investigations to ascertain the reason for the elevated erucic acid levels. The European Commission have also been alerted to the problem through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), so they may raise the issue with other Member States.

The FSA have notified ports in the UK so that they may sample similar products at point of entry into the UK.

The FSA have directly contacted the importers/distributors of the affected products. All implicated products at the shops where samples with elevated levels of erucic acid were taken have already been withdrawn from sale following visits by the relevant local authorities. Full trade withdrawals by the importers are now underway.

Actions to be taken by local authorities
The products detailed in the table belowdo not comply with The Erucic Acid in Food Regulations 1977 and should be withdrawn from sale and destroyed. If they are found on sale in wholesale/cash and carry premises, officers should endeavour to trace the distribution of the affected products to ensure that products are removed from retail sale or use in catering outlets.

The recent survey has identified that the products listed in the table below exceed the permitted levels of erucic acid allowed by the regulations. It is possible other similar imported preserved and/or pickled products from the same producers/distributors may also exceed the levels allowed by the regulations. Local authorities are therefore, requested to notify the Food Standards Agency if they are found on sale, so that a decision can be made as to whether it is appropriate to consider testing these products for their erucic acid content, and the Agency can co-ordinate any agreed sampling.

It is essential that all Non Unitary Authorities liaise at county level to ensure that they co-ordinate their actions.