Antimony in Fruit Juices

Public Analyst Dr Andrew Smith reassures the public on the ability to prosecute for high antimony levels in popular fruit juices

Dr Smith has followed up an article published recently by the Royal Society of Chemistry in which it was suggested that public health could be at risk because the lack of specific EU limits for antimony in foodstuffs meant no laws had been broken, so no prosecution could result from its detection at high levels.

In his e-mailed message he pointed out that Public Analysts are able to take decisions and subsequent action in the interests of public safety on the basis of short- or long-term effects of consuming the foodstuff, including any probable cumulative effects for current and/or future generations. 

He also commented that the ‘Materials & Articles in Contact with Food Regulations’ provide for further possible sanction, as they require that containers to not transfer their constituents to food in quantities which would endanger human health – in this case, antimony in harmful levels.