COMMI SSION REGUL ATION (EU) 2022/617 
of 12 Apr il 2022
amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels of mercur y in fish and salt 
(Text with EEA relevance) 
THE EUR OPEAN COMMISSION,
Havi ng regar d to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Havi ng regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 315/93 of 8 Febr uary 1993 laying down Community procedures for 
contaminants in food (1), and in particular Article 2(3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 (2)sets maximum levels for certain contaminants, including mercur y, 
in foodstuffs.
(2) On 22 November 2012 , the European Food Safety Author ity (‘the Author ity’) adopt ed an opinion on mercur y and 
meth ylmercur y in food (3). In that opinion, the Authority established a tolerable weekly intake (‘TWI’) for inorg anic 
mercur y of 4 μg/kg body weight (‘b.w .’) and for meth ylmercur y of 1,3 μg/kg b.w. (both expressed as mercur y) and 
concluded that the 95th percentile dietar y exposure is close to or abov e the TWI for all age groups. High fish 
consumers, whic h might include pregnant women, may exceed the TWI by up to appro ximately six-f old. Unborn 
children constitute the most vulnerable group. The opinion concluded that exposure to meth ylmercur y abov e the 
TWI is of concer n, but advised taking into account the beneficial effects of fish consum ption, if measures to reduce 
meth ylmercur y exposure were considered.
(3) On 27 June 2014 , the Author ity adop ted an opinion on the health benefits of seafood consump tion in relation to 
the health risks associated with exposure to meth ylmercur y(4). In that opinion, the Author ity reviewed the role of 
seafood in European diets and evaluated the benefic ial effects of seafood consum ption in relation to health 
outcomes, including the effects of seafood consump tion during pregnancy on functional outcomes of children’s 
neurodevelopment and the effects of seafood consump tion on cardiov ascular disease risk in adults. The Author ity 
concluded that consum ption of about 1 to 2 servings of seafood per week and up to 3 to 4 servings per week 
during pregnancy has been associated with better functional outcomes of neurodevelopment in children compar ed 
to no consump tion of seafood. Such amounts have also been associated with a lower coronar y hear t disease 
mor tality in adults.
(4) On 19 December 2014 , the Author ity adopt ed a statement on the benefits of fish/seaf ood consum ption compared 
to the risks of meth ylmercur y in fish/seafoo d(5), where it concluded that, to achieve the benefi ts of fish 
consum ption associated with 1 to 4 fish servings per week and to protect against neurodevelopmental toxicity of 
meth ylmercur y, the consump tion of fish/seaf ood species with a high content of mercur y should be limite d.
(5) Taking into account the outcome of the Authority’s scientific opinions and state ment, the maximum levels for 
mercur y should be reviewed, to reduce further the dietar y exposure to mercur y in food.
(1)OJ L 37, 13.2.1993, p. 1.
(2)Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 of 19 December 2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs (OJ 
L 364, 20.12.2006, p. 5).
(3)EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CON TAM); Scientific Opinion on the risk for public health relate d to the presence of 
mercur y and methylmercur y in food. EFSA Jour nal 2012;10(12):2985.
(4)EFSA NDA Panel (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutr ition and Allergies), 2014. Scientif ic Opinion on health benef its of seafood 
(fish and shellfish) consump tion in relation to health risks associated with exposure to meth ylmercur y. EFSA Jour nal 2014;12(7):3761.
(5)EFSA Scientific Committee, 2015. Statement on the benefits of fish/seaf ood consump tion compared to the risks of methylmercury in 
fish/seaf ood. EFSA Jour nal 2015;13(1):3982.EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union L 115/60 13.4.2022  (6) As recent occur rence data show that there would be a margin to lower the maximum levels for mercur y in various 
fish species, the maximum levels for those fish species should be modifi ed according ly.
(7) In view of the related health concer ns, the level of mercur y for shark and swor dfish should be maintained at the 
current level, pending further data collection, scientific assessment and kno wledge on the effectiveness of 
consum ption advice in reducing the exposure.
(8) The Codex Alimentar ius sets a maximum level of 0,1 mg/kg for mercur y in salt (6). It is appropr iate to set the same 
maximum level in the Union legislation.
(9) Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 should theref ore be amended according ly.
(10) Taking into account that certain foodstuffs covered by this Regulation have a long shelf life, it is appropr iate to 
provid e for a transitional period during whic h such foodstuffs not compl ying with the new maximum levels and 
lawfully placed on the mark et before the date of entr y into force of this Regulation, may remain on the market.
(11) The measures provid ed for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committ ee on 
Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGUL ATION:
Article 1
The Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 2
The foodstuffs liste d in the Annex, lawfully placed on the mark et before the entr y into force of this Regulation, may remain 
on the mark et until the date of minimum durability or use-by- date.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day followi ng that of its publication in the Official Journal of the 
European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 12 Apr il 2022 .
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYEN
(6)Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxin in Foods and Feeds – GSCTFF (CODEX STAN 193-1995).EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 13.4.2022 L 115/61  ANNEX 
The Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 is amended as follo ws:
In Section 3: Metals, subsection 3.3 (Mercur y) is replaced by the follo wing:
‘3.3 Mercur y
3.3.1 Fisher y products(26) and muscle meat of fish(24)(25), excl uding species listed 
in 3.3.2 and 3.3.3. The maximum level for crustaceans applies to muscle 
meat from appendages and abdomen(44). In case of crabs and crab-like 
crustaceans (Brachyur a and Anomur a), it applies to muscle meat from 
appendages.0,50
3.3.2 Muscle meat of the followi ng fish(24)(25):
Axillar y seabream (Pagellus acarne)
Black scabbardf ish (Aphanopus carbo)
Blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo)
Bonito (Sarda sarda)
Common pandora (Pagellus erythrinus)
Escolar (Lepidocybium flavobr unneum)
Halibut (Hippoglossus species)
Kingklip (Genypter us capensis)
Marlin (Mak aira species)
Megr im (Lepidorhombus species)
Oilf ish (Ruvettus pretiosus)
Orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus)
Pink cusk -eel (Genypter us blacodes)
Pike (Esox species)
Plain bonito (Orcynopsis unicolor)
Poor cod (Tricopter us species)
Red mullet (Mullus barbatus barbatus)
Roundnose grenadier (Cor yphaenoides rupestr is)
Sail fish (Istiophor us species)
Silver scabbardfish (Lepidopus caudatus)
Snake mack erel (Gemp ylus serpens)
Sturgeon (Aci penser species)
Surmullet (Mullus surmuletus)
Tuna (Thunnus species, Euthynnus species, Katsuwo nus pelamis)
Shark (all species)
Sword fish (Xiphias gladius)1,0
3.3.3 Cephalopods
Mar ine gastropods
Muscle meat of the followi ng fish(24)(25):0,30EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union L 115/62 13.4.2022  Ancho vy (Eng raulis species)
Alaska polloc k (Ther agra chalcog rammus)
Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)
Atlantic herring (Clupea haren gus)
Basa (Pangasius bocour ti)
Carp (species belonging to the Cypr inidae family)
Common dab (Limanda limanda)
Mack erel (Scomber species)
European flounder (Platichthys flesus)
European plaice (Pleur onectes platessa)
European sprat (Sprattus sprattus)
Mek ong giant catfi sh (Pangasianodon gigas)
Polloc k (Pollachius pollachius)
Saithe (Pollachius virens)
Salmon & Trout (Salmo species and Oncorhynchus species, excep t Salmo 
trutta)
Sardine or Pilchard (Dussumier ia species, Sardina species, Sardinella species 
and Sardinops species)
Sole (Solea solea)
Striped catfi sh (Pangasianodon hypothalamus)
Whiting (Merlangius merlangus)
3.3.4 Food supplements(39) 0,10
3.3.5 Salt 0,10’EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 13.4.2022 L 115/63