Brazil: Embrapa suggests maximum limit of copper contaminants for the nut market

Technical note signed by Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical provided subsidies for the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) to issue a favorable opinion on changing the maximum tolerable limit of copper contaminants (LMT) in chestnuts, from 10 mg/kg to 30 mg/kg . The measure covers chestnuts, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts and almonds. There was concern, on the part of the sector, with the previously established limit, which could make the production and commercialization of the product unfeasible. In response to a demand from the cashew kernel industry, the Unit carried out the study that determined the new food safety parameters. Researchers Marlos Bezerra and Carlos Taniguchi sign the technical note that describes how the presence of copper is manifested in cashew nuts, proving that the material is part of the plant's physiology. The copper contents found in the fruit come from the natural process of nutrition of the species. After analyzing the evidence ...