Importing certain soft commodities into the UK and EU requires an aflatoxin certificate to comply with regulations and ensure that the goods are safe for consumption. Some high-risk foods also require pre-notification before the shipment arrives at a British port of entry.
The aflatoxin certificate needs to be completed and submitted by an approved laboratory. It records the levels of aflatoxin found in the sample, along with details of the test method and the product analysed.
What is aflatoxin?
Aflatoxins are poisonous chemicals produced by some moulds that grow on staple crops such as maize, peanuts, coffee, wheat, rice, chili peppers, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds. When mycotoxin contaminated commodities enter the general food supply, either directly or through animal feedstock, humans can be exposed to aflatoxins. This presents a particular risk to children, and has been linked to liver cancer, immune suppression and gastro-intestinal disturbances.
Acceptable levels of aflatoxin differ between regulators, and also depend on the type of food item being imported.
UK rules for imports of nuts, figs and dried fruits
Nuts, figs, and dried fruits – as well as products made from them – are subject to special import conditions when entering the UK. They can only enter through approved ports or airports. Due to contamination risk by aflatoxins, special conditions apply to the import of peanuts to the UK from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ghana and India. Special conditions also apply to hazelnuts and pistachios shipped from Turkey; pistachios from Iran; and Brazil nuts from Brazil. Shipments need to be accompanied by both a certificate of analysis, and a health certificate from the competent authority of the country of origin.
Peanut imports from the USA
Consignments from the United States of peanuts, and products derived from peanuts, should be accompanied by a certificate signed by an official of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), stating that the consignment complies with maximum levels of aflatoxins. It should also provide results of the sampling and analysis carried out. A similar requirement applies for aflatoxins and ochratoxin A testing of pistachios destined for the EU.
PEC certificate
An aflatoxin analysis certificate is part of the Almond Board of California’s pre-export check (PEC) certification for shipments to the EU. A PEC certificate download is not mandatory, but ensures that consignments are subject to less than 1% controls at the EU border. Since January 2024, Great Britain (not Northern Ireland) requires a separate GB-PEC certificate for almond shipments to the UK. Northern Ireland continues to accept the EU’s PEC certificate.
In the United States, PEC certification only applies to direct shipments from California to the EU of bulk and unprocessed products classified under Harmonised Tariff Codes 0802.11 (inshell) and 0802.12 (shelled). The PEC certification includes a description of the consignment, and the USDA attestation. In Canada, PEC concessions apply to the examination and testing of Ochratoxin A levels in wheat (CN code 1001) and wheat flour (CN code 1101 00) that are destined for the UK and EU.
Pre-notification for UK imports
Authorities in Great Britain need to be pre-notified before certain high risk food and feed of non-animal origin (HRFNAO) are imported, both from the EU and from outside the EU. Notification is required at least one working day before the HRFNAO is expected to arrive at the point of entry. The online portal, Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS), can be used by importers and importer agents to do this.
Who monitors aflatoxin?
In the UK, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) advises enforcement authorities and food business operators on sampling and analysis relating to alfatoxins. In the EU, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) provides scientific advice and risk assessments on aflatoxins to guide regulatory measures. In America, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Agricultural Marketing Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, share responsibility for sampling and analysing foodstuffs for aflatoxins.