歐盟執委會3日通過新法令，針對食品及飼料中戴奧辛與戴奧辛類多氯聯苯（PCBs），訂定出最大限值。戴奧辛與多氯聯苯皆為有毒化學物質，會造成癌症、荷爾蒙失調、降低生育能力、皮膚中毒及免疫系統異常等嚴重的健康影響。
制定新法令的目的，是為了防止戴奧辛與多氯聯苯進入食物鏈中，以免發生如上個月在比利時及荷蘭數百座農場中發現豬隻和家禽含有戴奧辛的案例。
減少食物鏈中的戴奧辛與多氯聯苯等持續性化學品含量，是歐盟確保健康和安全的重要一環。戴奧辛與多氯聯苯的毒性可導致一系列健康問題，包括癌症、免疫及神經系統失調、肝臟損壞和不孕。
食物和飼料製造者有責任確保其產品合乎限制標準。歐盟各會員國之主管機關亦必須厲行檢查，並對執委會通報其調查結果。
所有的食物和飼料製造者必須盡一切必要的努力，限制戴奧辛與多氯聯苯於飼料和食物鏈中的含量。這包括對所有和化學品使用有關的加工程序（如乾燥）嚴格查驗，或是在戴奧辛與多氯聯苯有可能殘留之處，使用去污染技術加以移除。
The European Commission Friday adopted new implementing legislation setting maximum levels for the sum of dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in food and feed. Dioxins and PCBs are toxic chemicals that can cause serious health effects such as cancer, hormone disruption, reduced ability to reproduce, skin toxicity and immune system disorders.
The new legislation is designed to prevent dioxins and PCBs from entering the food supply as happened in Belgium and the Netherlands late last month, when dioxin was found in pig and poultry feed used by hundreds of farms.
The reduction of persistent chemicals such as dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in the food chain is an important part of ensuring the health and safety of EU consumers. Dioxins and PCBs have toxic properties which can provoke a series of health problems, including cancer, immune and nervous system disorders, liver damage and sterility.
Food and feed operators have primary responsibility for ensuring that the maximum levels are complied with, while member state authorities must carry out checks and report to the Commission on their findings.
All operators in the food and feed chain must do everything necessary to limit the presence of dioxins and PCBs in the feed and food chain. This could include reviewing processing, drying and other chemical based techniques, or using decontamination techniques to remove dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs where possible.
