Vegetable oils and fats play a key role in a healthy diet. As for any foods, during the journey from the raw material until their processing, several contaminants can be encountered. The present article looks at the evolution of the EU regulatory framework for contaminants in vegetable oils and fats and their raw materials and the different types of contaminants from “known” to “emerging”. It identifies several trends, from the wording used, to regulatory exemptions and the implementation of the EU Maximum Levels (MLs) at national level. It also assesses the impact this is having for the vegetable oil and fat sector. With the growing number of topics to address simultaneously across the years, the challenges for this sector have considerably increased, considering “known” and “emerging” contaminants and other EU policy objectives. The supply chain management and the vegetable oil and fat processing can reduce some contaminants levels and will remain key factors in the mitigation route to further explore in the future.
Kalila. Hajjar (Fri,) studied this question.