Dioxins and PCBs

Dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent and highly toxic contaminants found everywhere in nature.

They are found at low levels in all foods, especially oily or fatty foods of animal origin, including seafood. Pollution control measures in the past decades have significantly reduced their presence over time.

Maximum levels in seafood

Seafood is subject to three separate maximum levels, which are:

The sum of polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), expressed in World Health Organisation (WHO) toxic equivalents (TEQ) using the WHO toxic equivalency factors established in 2005.
The sum of dioxins, furans and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), defined as the sum of PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs, expressed in the WHO-TEFs.
The sum of the 6 PCB congeners listed in the fourth column below.

Seafood	Maximum permitted level: sum of dioxins (WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ)	Sum of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs (WHO-PCDD/F-PCB-TEQ)	Sum of PCB28, PCB52, PCB101, PCB 138, PCB153 and PCB180.
Muscle meat of fish and fishery products and products thereof with the exception of: Wild caught eel (Anguilla anguilla) Wild caught spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) Wild caught fresh water fish excluding diadromous fish species caught in fresh water Fish liver and derived products Marine oils When fish are intended to be eaten whole, the maximum level applies to the whole fish. The maximum level for crustaceans applies to muscle meat from appendages and abdomen. In England Scotland and Wales only: in the case of crabs and crab-like crustaceans (Brachyura and Anomura), it applies to muscle meat from appendages.	3.5 pg/g wet weight	6.5 pg/g wet weight	75 ng/g wet weight
Muscle meat of wild caught fresh water fish, with the exception of diadromous fish species caught in fresh water, and products thereof. Where fish are intended to be eaten whole, the maximum level shall apply to the whole fish.	3.5 pg/g wet weight	6.5 pg/g wet weight	125 ng/g wet weight
Muscle meat of wild caught spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) and products thereof	3.5 pg/g wet weight	6.5 pg/g wet weight	200 ng/g wet weight
Muscle meat of wild caught eel (Anguilla anguilla) and products thereof	3.5 pg/g wet weight	10.0 pg/g wet weight	300 ng/g wet weight
Fish liver and derived products thereof with the exception of marine oils referred to below. In the case of canned fish liver, the maximum applies to the whole of the edible content.	N/A	20.0 pg/g wet weight	200 ng/g wet weight
Marine oil (fish body oil, fish liver oil and oils of other marine organisms intended for human consumption).	1.75 pg/g fat	6.0 pg/g fat	200 ng/g fat

Upperbound concentrations are calculated on the assumption that all the values of the different congeners below the limit of quantification are equal to the limit of quantification.

The relevant Regulation in England, Scotland and Wales is assimilated Regulation 1881/2006 as amended by The Contaminants in Food (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. In Northern Ireland the relevant regulation is Regulation (EU) 2023/915.