Report of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) regarding criteria for the estimation of concentrations for the discussion of proposals for migration limits of certain heavy metals and other elements from ceramic articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs

Directive 84/500/EEC and its amendments establish the requirements for the commercialisation of ceramic articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs, in order to guarantee that they do not constitute a risk for consumers and to establish the maximum limits of migration for cadmium and lead. In this respect, in the light of developments in scientific knowledge, it is advisable to review the lead and cadmium limits and the test conditions. Therefore, the European Commission is assessing the amendment of said Directive. The Scientific Committee has assessed a proposal regarding criteria for the estimation of concentrations for the discussion of proposals for migration limits of certain heavy metals and other elements from ceramic articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. It has assessed whether the criteria used in the preparation of the proposal are adequate, considering them to be acceptable except in two cases, for which it has put forward the application of alternative criteria.