The Italian Ministry of Health has officially released the 2026 revised edition of the National Plan for Official Controls on Plant Contaminants and Toxins in Food (2023–2027). The initiative aims to ensure, through systematic official controls, that levels of contaminants and plant toxins in food strictly comply with European Union maximum levels (MLs) or indicative guidance levels. Key contents of the plan are summarized below:
I. Scope of Control
1.Environmental and Industrial Contaminants.
2.Agricultural Contaminants and Plant Toxins.
II. Implementation Strategies
1.Full Supply Chain Surveillance: Control activities span the entire food chain from primary production to retail. A risk-based "selective" sampling strategy is applied, prioritizing inspection of critical stages with historical non-compliance or weak internal control systems. All sampling procedures strictly adhere to relevant EU regulatory standards.
2.Import Control Protocol: For food of animal origin, sampling is conducted at Border Control Posts (BCPs) according to minimum required frequencies based on product categories and country-of-origin risk profiles. Key monitoring targets focus on heavy metals, dioxins, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
