Decontamination: The Law on Removal of Pathogens and Chemical Contaminants from Food.

Decontamination is a controversial but under-explored aspect of EU food hygiene law. This article provides a first step towards developing a theory on decontamination in EU food law. It distinguishes decontamination using chemical substances or microorganisms from decontamination using processes such as irradiation. Mostly, decontaminants will be processing aids. As long as it is safe, the use of processing aids to decontaminate products of plant origin is free under EU law. However, substances used for the decontamination of products or animal origin must be authorised, either under Regulation 853/2004 or – for example – as biocides. Ascertaining the scope of the legislation on irradiation is challenging. Processes not considered irradiation and not applied prior to 1997 may bring treated products within the ambit of the Novel Foods Regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]