Legislation to control contaminants in seafood | Seafish

Legislation to control contaminants in seafood

An overview of UK rules on chemical contaminants in seafood, including legal limits, food business responsibilities, and relevant legislation.



Legislation to control contaminants in seafood 

Contaminants are undesirable substances that can be found in food without being intentionally added.  

Fish and shellfish may be exposed to contaminants from their environment, their diet, or during processing. Regulations set maximum levels for certain contaminants to protect consumers.  

Maximum levels of contaminants permitted in fish and fishery products 

For details on permitted contaminant levels in seafood, see the following pages:  

Food business operator responsibilities

Food businesses must ensure that food on the market meets the lowest possible contaminant levels and does not exceed legal limits. If no specific limit exists, businesses must still protect public health. 

Under UK law (Article 2 of assimilated EU Regulation 315/93 and regulation (EEC) 315/93 in Northern Ireland): 

“Food containing a contaminant in an amount which is unacceptable from the public health viewpoint and in particular at a toxicological level shall not be placed on the market.”   

"This is in addition to the general food law requirement of Article 14 of assimilated EU Regulation 178/2002 (Regulation (EC) 178/2002 in Northern Ireland), which states:   

"Food shall not be placed on the market if it is unsafe."

Section 8 of the Food Safety Act 1990 bans the sale of contaminated food.  

List of relevant regulations 

Further information 

For more details, visit the Food Standards Agency’s page on chemical contaminants.

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