Tightened Inorganic Pollutant Rules Reshape EU Seafood Safety Requirements

BAAR, Switzerland — SGS, a testing, inspection and certification company, has published a new expert feature article examining seafood safety risk linked to inorganic arsenic (I-As) and other heavy metals, and outlining the EU’s latest regulatory response.

Concentrations of I-As associated with industrial activity have increased in recent years, the article says, contributing to pollution in estuaries and coastal waters and adding to existing background levels of naturally occurring heavy metals. As a result, contamination of fish and seafood has become an increasingly important issue for both environmental protection and consumer safety.

The SGS article analyses the sources of I-As and the regulatory framework governing its control, highlighting the introduction of new maximum levels for fish and other seafood under EU Commission Regulation 2025/1891. These measures reinforce existing legislation and represent a significant tightening of EU food safety requirements, with direct compliance implications for seafood operators supplying the EU market.

The article also examines the growing regulatory focus on other hazardous heavy metals, including mercury, lead and cadmium, drawing on notifications reported through the EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). In addition, applicable maximum limits established by major global regulatory authorities are reviewed to provide a broader international context.

With enforcement and monitoring intensifying, reliable analytical methodologies are essential for accurately determining contamination levels in seafood. The article outlines SGS’s comprehensive testing capabilities, supporting seafood businesses in meeting evolving regulatory requirements, managing compliance risks and maintaining access to key international markets.

Read the full article here.