COMMISSION REGUL ATION (EU) No 488/2014 
of 12 May 2014 
amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels of cadmium in foodstuff s 
(Text with EEA relevance) 
THE EUR OPEAN COMMISSION, 
Having regar d to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, 
Having regar d 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) establishes maximum levels for cadmium in a range of foodstuffs. 
(2)  The Scientifi c Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONT AM Panel) of the European Food Safet y Author ity 
(EFSA ) adopt ed an opinion on cadmium in food on 30 Januar y 2009 (3). In that opinion, EFSA established a 
tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 2,5 µg/kg body weight for cadmium. In its ‘State ment on tolerable weekly intake 
for cadmium’ (4), EFSA took into account the recent risk assessment carried out by the Joint FAO/WHO Exper t 
Committ ee on Food Additives (JECF A) (5) and conf irmed the TWI of 2,5 µg/kg body weight. 
(3)  In the scientifi c opinion on cadmium in food, the CONT AM Panel concluded that the mean dietar y exposures to 
cadmium in European countr ies are close to or slightly exceed ing the TWI of 2,5 µg/kg body weight. Certain 
subgroups of the population may exceed the TWI by about 2 fold. The CONT AM Panel further concluded that, 
although adverse effects on kidney function are unlikely to occur for an individual exposed at this level, exposure 
to cadmium at the population level should be reduced. 
(4)  According to the scientific opinion on cadmium in food of the CONT AM Panel, the food groups that contr ibute 
to the major part of the dietar y cadmium exposure, primar ily because of the high consum ption, are cereals and 
cereals products, veget ables, nuts and pulses, starc hy roots or potatoes and meat and meat products. Highest 
cadmium concentrations were detected in the food commodities seaweed, fish and seafood, chocolate and foods 
for special dietar y uses as well as in fungi, oilseeds and edible offal. 
(5)  In a refined exposure assessment carried out by EFSA in its scientific repor t on ‘Cadmium dietar y exposure in the 
European population’ (6) using the new Com prehensive Food Consump tion database which contains update d 
information on food consum ption figures for the different Member State s and for differ ent age groups of the 
population, more detailed information on the particular food commodities that contr ibut e to exposure are given 
by age group. For adults, starch y roots and tubers, grains and grain based products and vege tables and veget able 
products are major contr ibutors to exposure. For children and adolescents, starch y roots and tubers, grain and 
grain based products and sugar and confectionary are main contr ibutors to exposure, while for infants and 
todd lers it is starc hy roots and tubers, grains and grain based products, vegetables and vege table based products, 
milk and dair y products and foods for infants and small children that contr ibute most. The refined exposure 
assessment shows that overall exposure is the result of not only a few main contr ibut ors but the addition of 
contr ibutions of a number of diffe rent food groups. 13.5.2014 L 138/75 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN     
(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)Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain on a request from the European Commission on cadmium in food. 
The EFSA Journal (2009) 980, 1-139. 
(4)EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONT AM); Scientific Opinion on tolerable weekly intake for cadmium. EFSA Jour nal 
2011; 9(2):1975. [19 pp.] doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2011.1975. Available online: www .efsa.europa.eu/efsajournal 
(5)WHO Food Additives Series 64, 73rd meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Exper t Committee on Food Additives (JECF A), World Health Org an­
isation, Geneva, 2011. 
(6)European Food Safet y Authority ; Cadmium dietar y exposure in the European population. EFSA Jour nal 2012; 10(1):2551. [37 pp.] 
doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2551. Available online: www .efsa.europa.eu/efsajou rnal (6)  Maximum levels have been established for cadmium in a wide rang e of foodstuffs, including cereals, vegetables, 
meat, fish, seafood, offals and food supplements. For some foodstuffs that are impor tant contr ibut ors to the expo ­
sure for certain population groups (chocolate and cocoa products, foods for infants and young children) 
maximum levels have not yet been established. It is theref ore necessar y to establish maximum levels of cadmium 
for those foodstuffs. 
(7)  Maximum levels for contaminants are set according to the ALARA principle (‘as low as reasonably achievable’) 
both for commodities for whic h maximum levels for cadmium currently already exist (such as vegetables, meat, 
fish, seafood, offals and food supplements) and for commodities for whic h maximum levels are newly set (suc h 
as cocoa and chocolat e products) using occur rence data and food consum ption patter ns of the European Union 
citizen. 
(8) Chocolat e and cocoa powder sold to the final consumer can contain high levels of cadmium and are an im­
portant source of human exposure. They are frequently consumed by children, e.g. chocolate as such or as swee ­
tened cocoa powders used in cocoa beverages. When establishing maximum levels of cadmium, occur rence data 
for different types of chocolates and for cocoa powders sold to the final consumer should be considered. Since 
cadmium levels in cocoa products are relat ed to their cocoa content, it is appropr iate to establish diffe rent 
maximum levels of cadmium for products containing differ ent percentages of cocoa. This should ensure that the 
maximum levels may also be compl ied with by choc olates with a higher percentage of cocoa. 
(9) In some regions of cocoa producing countr ies, cadmium levels in soil can be naturally high. Theref ore, occur ­
rence data of cocoa and chocolate products provided by countr ies with high cadmium levels in soil should be 
take n into account when establishing maximum levels of cadmium. 
(10) Infant formulae and follow-on formulae contr ibute signif icantly to cadmium exposure of infants and young chil­
dren. Infant formulae and follow-on formulae manufa ctured from soya prot ein isolate s, alone or in a mixture 
with cows' milk proteins, can contain higher cadmium levels than milk based products since soya beans naturally 
take up cadmium from the soil. Soya based formulae are an impor tant altern ative for infants suffering from 
lacto se intol erance, theref ore suffi cient mark et supply must be ensured. It is theref ore appropr iate to set a higher 
maximum level for soya based products. 
(11)  Processed cereal based foods and other baby foods for infants and young children are an impor tant source of 
exposure to cadmium for infants and young children. A particular maximum level of cadmium should theref ore 
be established for processed cereal based and other baby foods. 
(12)  Reduced exposure of a very vulnerable group of consumers could be achi eved by the establishment of a 
maximum level for certain cate gories of food for particular nutr itional uses (e.g. food for special medical purposes 
for infants). However , in absence of data to substantiate such a maximum level, occur rence data should be 
collect ed in view of the possible establishment of a specific maximum level in the future. 
(13)  For certain specifi c veget ables (salsify , parsnips, celer y, horseradish), compl iance with current maximum levels is 
difficult and occur rence data provided by the Member States show that natural backg round levels are higher and 
compar able with those of celer iac. Since consump tion of those commodities is low and effects on human expo ­
sure are negligible, it is appropr iate to raise the maximum levels of cadmium for parsnips, salsify , celer y and 
horseradish to that of celer iac. 
(14)  Certain fish species are currently exem pted from the default maximum level for fish of 0,05 mg/kg. For the fish 
species bonito (Sarda sarda), common two- banded seabream (Diplodus vulgaris), eel (Anguilla anguilla), grey mullet 
(Mugil labro sus labro sus), horse mack erel (Trachur us species), louvar (Luvar us imper ialis), sardinops (Sardinops species) 
and wedge sole (Dicologoglossa cuneata) new occur rence data show that the exemption is no longer necessar y and 
that the default maximum level can be compl ied with following good fisher y practices. Specifi c maximum levels 
are theref ore no long er necessar y for those fish species. 
(15)  For bullet tuna (Auxis species), anch ovy (Eng raulis species) and swordfish (Xiphias gladi us), new occur rence data 
show a lower maximum level can be compl ied with following good fisher y practices. The maximum levels for 
those fish species should theref ore be adjust ed. 13.5.2014 L 138/76 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN     (16)  For sardines (Sardina pilchar dus) and bichique (Sicy opter us lagocephalus), occur rence data show that compliance with 
the existing maximum levels is difficult, as natural backg round levels can be higher . For both fish species, the 
consum ption is low and has negligible effects on human exposure. It is theref ore appropr iate to set higher 
maximum levels for those two fish species to ensure market supply . 
(17)  Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 should theref ore be amended according ly. 
(18) Member States and food business operat ors should be allowed time to adap t to the new maximum levels estab ­
lished by this Regulation for cocoa products and foods for infants and young children. The date of application of 
the maximum levels of cadmium for those commodities should theref ore be deferred. 
(19)  The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committ ee on 
the Food Chain and Animal Health, 
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 
1. The maximum levels of cadmium set out in points 3.2.19 and 3.2.20 of the Annex to Regulation (EC) 
No 1881/2006, as amended by this Regulation, shall apply from 1 Januar y 2015. Foodstuffs not compl ying with these 
maximum levels which are lawfully placed on the mark et prior to 1 Januar y 2015 may continue to be market ed after 
that date until their date of minimum durability or use-b y-date. 
2. The maximum levels of cadmium set out in point 3.2.7 of the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, as 
amended by this Regulation, shall apply from 1 Januar y 2019. Foodstuffs not compl ying with these maximum levels, 
whic h are lawfully placed on the mark et prior to 1 Januar y 2019, may continue to be mark eted after that date until 
their date of minimum durability or use-b y-date. 
Article 3 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following 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 State s. 
Done at Brussels, 12 May 2014. 
For the Commission 
The Presid ent 
José Manuel BARR OSO  13.5.2014 L 138/77 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN     ANNEX 
The Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 is amended as follows: 
(1)  Subsection 3.2. (Cadmium) is replaced by the following: 
‘3.2 Cadmium  
3.2.1 Vegetables and fruit, excl uding root and tuber veget ables, leaf vege ­
tables, fresh herbs, leafy brassica, stem vege tables, fungi and 
seaweed (27) 0,050 
3.2.2 Root and tuber veget ables (excluding celer iac, parsnips, salsify and 
horseradish), stem vege tables (excluding celer y) (27). For potatoes the 
maximum level applies to peeled potatoe s 0,10 
3.2.3 Leaf vege tables, fresh herbs, leafy brassica, celer y, celer iac, parsnips, 
salsify , horseradish and the following fungi (27): Agaricus bispor us 
(common mushroom), Pleuro tus ostreatus (Oyst er mushroom), Lenti ­
nula edodes (Shiitak e mushroom) 0,20 
3.2.4 Fungi, excluding those listed in point 3.2.3 (27) 1,0 
3.2.5 Cereal grains excluding wheat and rice 0,10 
3.2.6 —  Wheat grains, rice grains 
—  Wheat bran and wheat germ for direct consum ption 
—  Soy beans 0,20 
3.2.7 Specific cocoa and chocolate products as liste d belo w (49)  
—  Milk chocolate with < 30 % total dry cocoa solids 0,10 as from 1 Januar y 2019 
—  Chocolate with < 50 % total dry cocoa solids; milk chocolat e 
with ≥ 30 % tota l dry cocoa solids 0,30 as from 1 Januar y 2019 
—  Chocolate with ≥ 50 % tota l dry cocoa solids 0,80 as from 1 Januar y 2019 
—  Cocoa powder sold to the final consumer or as an ingredient in 
sweetened cocoa powder sold to the final consumer (drinking 
chocolat e) 0,60 as from 1 Januar y 2019 
3.2.8 Meat (excluding offal) of bovine animals, sheep, pig and poultr y (6) 0,050 
3.2.9 Horsemeat, excl uding offal (6) 0,20 
3.2.10 Liver of bovine animals, sheep, pig, poultr y and horse (6) 0,50 
3.2.11 Kidne y of bovine animals, sheep, pig, poultr y and horse (6) 1,0 
3.2.12 Muscle meat of fish (24) (25), excl uding species listed in points 
3.2.13, 3.2.14 and 3.2.15 0,050 
3.2.13 Muscle meat of the following fish (24) (25): 
mack erel (Scomber species), tuna (Thunnus species, Katsuwonus pelamis, 
Euthynnus species), bich ique (Sicy opter us lagocephalus) 0,10 
3.2.14 Muscle meat of the following fish (24) (25): 
bullet tuna (Auxis species) 0,15 13.5.2014 L 138/78 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN     3.2.15 Muscle meat of the following fish (24) (25): 
anchovy (Eng raulis species) 
swor dfish (Xiphias gladius) 
sardine (Sardina pilchar dus) 0,25 
3.2.16 Crustaceans (26): muscle meat from appendage s and abdomen (44). 
In case of crabs and crab-lik e crustaceans (Brachyur a and Anomur a) 
muscle meat from appendages 0,50 
3.2.17 Bivalve molluscs (26) 1,0 
3.2.18 Cephalopods (without viscera) (26) 1,0 
3.2.19 Infant formulae and follow on-f ormulae (8) (29)  
—  powdered formulae manuf ac- tured from cows' milk protein s or 
protein hydrolysate s 0,010 as from 1 Januar y 2015 
—  liquid formulae manuf actured from cows' milk protein s or 
protein hydrolysate s 0,005 as from 1 Januar y 2015 
—  powdered formulae manufac-tured from soya protein isolate s, 
alone or in a mixture with cows' milk prote ins 0,020 as from 1 Januar y 2015 
—  liquid formulae manuf actured from soya prot ein isolates, alone 
or in a mixture with cows' milk prot eins 0,010 as from 1 Januar y 2015 
3.2.20 Processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young 
children (3) (29) 0,040 as from 1 Januar y 2015 
3.2.21 Food supplements (39) excl . food supplements listed in point 3.2.22 1,0 
3.2.22 Food supplements (39) consisting excl usively or mainly of dried 
seaweed, products derived from seaweed, or of dried bivalve 
molluscs 3,0’  
(2)  In endnot e (26) the following senten ce is added: ‘In case of Pecten maximus, the maximum level applies to the 
adductor muscle and gonad only .’ 
(3)  The following endnote is added: 
‘(49): For the specific cocoa and chocolate products the definitions set out in points A. 2, 3 and 4 of Annex I to Dir­
ective 2000/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 June 2000 relating to cocoa and 
chocolate products intended for human consump tion (OJ L 197, 3.8.2000, p. 19) apply .’  13.5.2014 L 138/79 Official Jour nal of the European Union EN