CorsodoroAflatoxin contamination is the single biggest cause of border rejections for nuts and dried fruits entering the European Union. Every year, hundreds of consignments are stopped at EU Border Control Posts because they exceed the maximum permitted levels. For importers and traders, understanding these regulations is not optional - it is essential to avoiding costly rejections and protecting your business.
This guide covers the exact EU legal limits, which products and origins are highest risk, how border testing works, and what you can do to ensure every shipment passes inspection.
What Are Aflatoxins?
Aflatoxins are naturally occurring mycotoxins - toxic compounds produced by moulds of the Aspergillus genus, primarily Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. These moulds grow on crops in warm, humid conditions, particularly during harvesting, drying, and storage.
There are four main types of aflatoxins found in food:
- Aflatoxin B1 - The most toxic and most commonly found. Classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). It is the primary target in EU regulations.
- Aflatoxin B2 - A metabolite of B1, also toxic but less potent.
- Aflatoxin G1 - Found alongside B-type aflatoxins, particularly in groundnuts.
- Aflatoxin G2 - The least potent of the four, but still regulated.
Total aflatoxins refers to the sum of B1 + B2 + G1 + G2. EU regulations set limits for both aflatoxin B1 individually and total aflatoxins combined.
Long-term exposure to aflatoxins - even at low levels - is associated with liver cancer, immune suppression, and impaired child development. This is why the EU maintains some of the strictest limits in the world.
EU Maximum Levels: Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006
The legal framework for aflatoxin limits in food is Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, which sets maximum levels for contaminants in foodstuffs. This regulation has been amended multiple times, most significantly by Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915, which replaced and consolidated the contaminant limits from August 2023 onward.
The limits differ based on the product type and whether the product is intended for direct human consumption (ready to eat) or for further processing (sorting, physical treatment before consumption).
Maximum Aflatoxin Levels by Product Category
| Product Category | Intended Use | Aflatoxin B1 (μg/kg) | Total Aflatoxins (μg/kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almonds, pistachios, apricot kernels | Direct consumption | 8.0 | 10.0 |
| Almonds, pistachios, apricot kernels | Further processing | 12.0 | 15.0 |
| Groundnuts (peanuts) | Direct consumption | 2.0 | 4.0 |
| Groundnuts (peanuts) | Further processing | 8.0 | 15.0 |
| Other tree nuts (cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, etc.) | Direct consumption | 5.0 | 10.0 |
| Other tree nuts | Further processing | 8.0 | 15.0 |
| Dried fruits (figs, dates, raisins, etc.) | Direct consumption | 2.0 | 4.0 |
| Dried fruits | Further processing | 5.0 | 10.0 |
The higher limits for "further processing" only apply if the product will undergo a treatment that demonstrably reduces aflatoxin levels before human consumption - such as sorting and physical removal of contaminated kernels. Simply repackaging or mixing does not qualify. If you import under the "further processing" declaration, you must be able to demonstrate to authorities that the processing actually took place and that the final product meets the "direct consumption" limits.
RASFF: The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed
The RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) is the EU's early warning system for food safety risks. When a consignment is found non-compliant at any EU border or in market surveillance, a RASFF notification is issued.
Aflatoxins consistently account for the highest number of RASFF notifications for any single hazard category. The system works as follows:
- Alert notifications - Product already on the market and posing a serious risk. Requires immediate withdrawal.
- Border rejections - Product stopped at the EU border. The consignment does not enter the EU market.
- Information notifications - No immediate action required, but other Member States are informed for monitoring purposes.
When a shipment is rejected at the border, the importer faces significant costs: return freight, destruction fees, storage charges at the port, and potential loss of their good importer standing with customs authorities. A single rejected container of nuts can easily result in losses of EUR 30,000-80,000 depending on the commodity.
High-Risk Origins: Increased Import Controls
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 (and its regular updates) establishes a system of increased official controls and emergency measures for certain food and feed imports. Products from specific origins with a history of contamination face mandatory testing at a set frequency before they can clear customs.
The regulation uses two categories:
- Annex I - Increased frequency of official controls (identity and physical checks at a set percentage of consignments).
- Annex II - Special conditions: every consignment must be accompanied by an official certificate and analytical results from the country of origin, plus EU border testing at the stated frequency.
Examples of High-Risk Origin-Product Combinations for Aflatoxins
| Product | Origin | Annex | Physical Check Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groundnuts (peanuts) | India | II | 50% |
| Groundnuts (peanuts) | Brazil | I | 20% |
| Groundnuts (peanuts) | Argentina | I | 10% |
| Pistachios | Iran | II | 50% |
| Pistachios | Turkey | II | 50% |
| Pistachios | United States | I | 10% |
| Dried figs | Turkey | I | 20% |
| Hazelnuts | Turkey | I | 5% |
| Brazil nuts (in shell) | Brazil | II | 50% |
These frequencies and listings are reviewed and updated at least twice per year by the European Commission, based on the latest RASFF data and risk assessments. Always check the current version of the regulation before planning imports.
If your product-origin combination is listed in Annex II, you must ensure the exporting country's competent authority issues an official certificate with analytical test results before shipment. Without this documentation, the consignment will be automatically rejected at the EU border - regardless of actual aflatoxin levels. Plan for 2-3 extra business days at the BCP for testing when your product is subject to increased controls.
Prevention: How Aflatoxin Contamination Is Controlled
Aflatoxin contamination can occur at any point from field to final product. Effective prevention requires controls at every stage:
At origin (pre-harvest and harvest)
- Timely harvesting - Delayed harvest increases exposure to moisture and mould growth.
- Proper drying - Nuts and dried fruits must be dried to safe moisture levels quickly after harvest. For most nuts, this means below 7% moisture content, ideally below 5%.
- Good agricultural practices (GAP) - Crop rotation, pest management, and soil health reduce Aspergillus infection risk.
During storage and transport
- Temperature control - Storage below 20°C significantly slows mould growth. Cold chain maintenance during shipping is critical.
- Humidity control - Relative humidity below 65% prevents mould proliferation.
- Ventilation - Adequate airflow prevents moisture accumulation ("sweating") in containers.
- Clean storage - Warehouses must be free of previous crop residues and pest infestations.
During processing
- Sorting and grading - Optical colour sorters can identify and reject contaminated kernels (which are often discoloured). Modern sorting lines achieve 70-90% reduction in aflatoxin levels.
- Blanching - Removes outer skin where some contamination concentrates.
- Roasting - High temperatures partially degrade aflatoxins but do not eliminate them completely. Roasting alone is not a reliable decontamination method.
Testing Methods: HPLC and ELISA
Two primary analytical methods are used for aflatoxin testing in the food industry:
HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography)
The reference method for official EU border testing. HPLC provides highly accurate, individual quantification of B1, B2, G1, and G2. Results are legally defensible and accepted by all EU authorities. Detection limits are typically 0.1-0.5 μg/kg. Analysis time: 1-3 days including sample preparation.
ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay)
A screening method widely used in the industry for rapid pre-shipment testing. ELISA kits provide total aflatoxin results within hours and are significantly cheaper than HPLC. However, ELISA results are not accepted as official results in case of legal disputes. They are ideal for supply chain quality control and for pre-screening before official lab testing.
Sampling: The Critical Factor
The accuracy of any aflatoxin test depends entirely on the quality of the sample. Aflatoxin contamination is highly heterogeneous - a few heavily contaminated kernels can be surrounded by clean product. Commission Regulation (EC) No 401/2006 specifies the official sampling procedures, which require taking incremental samples from multiple points across the consignment and combining them into aggregate and laboratory samples. For a 15-tonne lot of nuts, the regulation requires a minimum of 100 incremental samples combined into three laboratory samples.
We require HPLC-accredited lab testing at origin before shipment, plus independent verification at an EU-accredited laboratory upon arrival. This dual-testing approach catches contamination early, avoiding costly border rejections. All test certificates are available through our trade platform.
Compliance Steps for Importers
- Know your product-origin risk profile - Check the current version of Reg. 2019/1793 for your specific product and origin combination.
- Require pre-shipment testing - Demand HPLC results from an ISO 17025 accredited lab at origin before the shipment departs.
- Verify supplier controls - Audit or request documentation of your supplier's drying, storage, and sorting practices.
- Maintain cold chain - Ensure refrigerated or temperature-controlled containers for high-risk products.
- Pre-notify authorities - For Annex I and II products, submit CHED-D (Common Health Entry Document) in TRACES NT before the shipment arrives.
- Budget for border testing - Physical checks can take 2-5 days. Factor this into your delivery timeline and working capital planning.
- Keep records - Maintain traceability records, lab certificates, and supplier audit reports for a minimum of 5 years as required by the General Food Law (Reg. 178/2002).