1 
 Amendment of the Maximum Levels for contaminant s in feed commodities
（notification ） 
 
1. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) is proposing to 
establish or modify Maximum Levels  for contaminants in compo site feeds  or in 
their ingredients  for food producing  animals  on a basis of new  scientific data 
from surveillance/ monitoring  by MAFF . 
2. The proposed levels are set in accordance with the principle of “as low as 
reasonably achievable” , and ensuring that at the maximum levels, the 
contaminants of concern will not pose health risk to food producing animals or 
humans.  
 
Principle of ALARA is the international concept for setting the standards of 
contaminants, which is show n in the CODEX GENERAL STANDARD FOR 
CONTAMINANTS AND TOXINS IN FOOD AND FEED  (CGSCTFF ). 
 
3. In addition , MAFF will specify the food producing  animals  to which the feeds 
are to be given .  
 
The levels are described as follows /proposed changes is underlined : 
 
【Maximum Limit s(i)】 
Contaminant  Proposed  Current  
Mycotoxin  Feed commodities  levels 
(mg/kg)  Feed commodities  levels 
(mg/kg)  
Aflatoxin B 1 Compo site feeds  for 
dairy cattle, dairy 
sheep , and dairy goats  0.01 Compo site feeds  for 
dairy cattle  0.01 
 
【Maximum Levels (ii)】 
Contaminant  Proposed  Current  
Heavy metal  
  Feed commodities  levels 
(mg/kg)  Feed commodities  levels 
(mg/kg)  
Cadmium  Compo site feeds(iii) 0.8 Compo site feeds(iii) 1 2 
 Lead Compo site feeds(iii)  2 Compo site feeds(iii) 3 
Mercury  Compo site feeds(iii) 0.2 Compo site feeds(iii) 0.4 
                  
Contaminant  Proposed  Current  
Mycotoxin  Feed commodities  levels 
(mg/kg)  Feed commodities  levels 
(mg/kg)  
Aflatoxin B 1 Compo site feeds  for 
adult animals ( cattle,  
pigs, sheep,  goats, deer 
and poultry  (except for 
dairy cattle, dairy sheep 
and dairy goats))  and 
quail s 0.02 Compo site feeds  for 
adult animals ( cattle,  
pigs and poultry  
(except  for dairy 
cattle )) and quails  0.02 
Compo site feeds  for 
young animals ( cattle,  
pigs, sheep,  goats, deer 
and poultry ) 0.01 Compo site feeds  for 
young animals ( cattle,  
pigs and poultry ) 0.01 
Deoxynivalenol  Compo site feeds for  
adult ruminant animals  3 Compo site feeds for  
cattle aged older 
than 3 months.  4 
Compo site feeds(iii) 
(except for adult 
ruminant animals ) 1 Comp osite  feeds(iii) 
(except for cattle 
aged older than 3 
months ) 1 
Zearalenone  Compo site feeds(iii) 0.5 Compo site feeds(iii) 
(except for poultry and 
quail s) 1 
Total 
Fumonisins （B1
＋B2＋B3） Compo site feeds(iii) 4        － － 
 
 
                           
3 
                                              
Proposed  Current  
Other  Feed 
commodities  levels 
(mg/kg)  Other  Feed 
commodities  levels 
(mg/kg)  
Melamine and  
Cyanuric acid  
(isocyanuric  acid) (iv) Feed  and 
ingredients 
except for urea  2.5 Melamine   Feed  and 
ingredients 
except for urea  2.5 
(i) A maximum  limit is the maximum concentration of contaminant allowed in specified feed(s)  for distribution 
and expressed in mg/kg, d etection of a concentration above which will lead to ban of distribution of the feed.  
(ii) A maximum  level  is the maximum concentration of contaminant allowed in specified feed(s)  for distribution 
and expressed in mg/kg,  detection of a concentration above which will require  the Japanese Government to 
consider whether the feed should be recalled taking into account the probability of an adverse effect for food 
producing animals and /or human.  
(iii) for cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, deer, poultry  and quail s 
(iv) intentionally added to falsify the protein content in feed .