The new regulation is expected to be applied in July 2025, requiring businesses, industries and management agencies to proactively research and provide comments.

The Vietnam SPS Office said that the European Union (EU) Food Safety Authority is drafting amendments to Regulation (EU) No. 2023/915, which sets maximum residue levels (MRLs) for inorganic arsenic in fish and certain other aquatic products, at 0.05 - 1.5 ppm.

The new regulation is expected to be issued in July 2025 and take effect in the same month.

Prior to this announcement, the EU did not set specific limits for inorganic arsenic in fish and aquatic products. Instead, the market focused on controlling other heavy metals such as cadmium or mercury. The main contents implemented by the EU are in Regulation (EU) 1881/2006 and related amendments.

To determine the inorganic arsenic content in food in general, Vietnam has issued TCVN 12346:2018. This standard provides guidance on the determination of inorganic arsenic mainly in foods of plant origin and some marine animals (excluding fish).

Arsenic is commonly found in fish and marine organisms, and includes two main forms: Inorganic arsenic includes compounds such as arsenic trioxide (As₂O₃), arsenate (As⁵⁺) and arsenite (As³⁺). This is a toxic form that can cause cancer and affect the nervous system, liver and kidneys.

In contrast, organic arsenic includes compounds such as arsenobetaine and arsenocholine, which are commonly found in seafood and are less toxic to humans.

Most fish and seafood contain arsenic in the form of organic arsenic, which is less toxic. However, some fish and seafood may contain small amounts of inorganic arsenic. The reasons are: arsenic is available in groundwater, then enters aquatic ecosystems; fish absorb arsenic through food, water and sediments at the bottom of rivers, lakes and seas.

In addition, fish and seafood can be contaminated with arsenic due to environmental pollution, originating from mining, metallurgy, pesticide production, dyes, textiles... discharging arsenic into water sources; or fertilizers, pesticides containing arsenic flowing into rivers and lakes; or from untreated domestic wastewater.

“The EU’s control of inorganic arsenic in imported fish and some types of seafood requires businesses to proactively control their products well, according to Mr. Ngo Xuan Nam, Deputy Director of the Vietnam SPS Office.

The leader of the Vietnam SPS Office also added that the EU has very detailed regulations on inorganic arsenic residues in the draft. For example, the maximum residue level is applied to the wet weight of the product. In the case of whole fish being exported, the maximum residue level will be calculated for the entire fish.

In addition to fish, the EU also applies regulations on MRLs for inorganic arsenic to some crustaceans such as crabs, or bivalve mollusks such as scallops.

“We request that relevant agencies study, comment and notify relevant organizations and individuals about this issue,” Mr. Nam shared, emphasizing that all comments on the draft must be sent to the Vietnam SPS Office before April 28 for synthesis and sending to the EU.

Also today, March 24, the Vietnam SPS Office also received a draft amendment on the maximum residue levels (MRLs) of the active ingredient haloxyfop-P on some vegetables and fruits from the United Kingdom. Most notably, this country reduced the MRLs on dried beans by 15 times and on carrots, parsley roots, and chives by 9 times.

Source: Nong Nghiep Newspaper