In a presentation given at a FRUCOM event in October, the Directorate-General for Health & Food Safety mentioned a proposal to establish an ML of 5 µg/kg for ochratoxin A (OTA) in non-sulfured dried apricots, up from the current limit of 2 µg/kg.
It was further noted that the Commission is discussing a proposal to change the provisions on sampling for dried figs. The current situation for all mycotoxins and plant toxins is that three individual laboratory samples are taken and all must comply with the ML in order for the lot to be compliant. Under the proposed change, this methodology would be maintained for aflatoxins, but for all other mycotoxins (including OTA) the mean of the three individual laboratory samples must comply with the ML in order for the lot to be compliant.