PubMed1995
The Community legislation currently in force identifies a group of substances whose presence in feedingstuffs is undesirable. For each one of these substances, acceptable maximum levels have been fixed. The compliance with these levels in feedingstuffs must be checked by Community sampling and analysis methods. In the specific case of the aflatoxins, analytical methods, based on thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), have been adopted by directive. Another directive has established a general sampling method. The practice, however, has shown that it is not applicable to very large batches where the distribution of the contaminants is not homogeneous. A small group of experts of the Commission reached the conclusion that, in the future Community legislation, it will be appropriate: i) to divide the undesirable substances in two groups (substances with homogeneous and non-homogeneous distribution); ii) to adopt two different strategies for the cargoes "at risk" and "not at risk"; iii) to have methods of sampling, preparation, and analysis which are fast, reliable, easy to apply, and recognized at the international level. These experts proposed adaptations in the directive on "Sampling," in the case of large vessels, but suggested at the same time deferring any decision to the near future.