The report titled “JOINT FAO/WHO EXPERT COMMITTEE ON FOOD ADDITIVES” was released on 28th October 2025.

Main topic:
Food safety risk assessment of arsenic contaminants in food, with a focus on inorganic and organic arsenic species.

Geographical scope:
Global — conducted under FAO/WHO (JECFA), intended to inform international standards (Codex Alimentarius) applicable worldwide, not a specific region or country

Relevant information for EU industrial agri-food actors from the JECFA 101 Summary and Conclusions includes:

• Updated hazard and risk assessment of arsenic
  Scientific conclusions on the toxicity of inorganic and organic arsenic species that underpin future regulatory limits.

• Health-based guidance values or reference points
  Any benchmark dose levels, margins of exposure, or conclusions on tolerable intake that may influence EU maximum levels.

• Commodity-specific exposure considerations
  Identification of food categories that contribute most to dietary arsenic exposure (e.g., cereals, rice, infant foods), relevant to EU supply chains.

• Implications for Codex standards
  Findings that may lead to revisions of Codex maximum levels, which the EU often aligns with or uses as a reference in trade and regulation.

• Analytical and speciation considerations
  Emphasis on the distinction between inorganic and organic arsenic affects testing methods, monitoring plans, and compliance strategies.

• Risk-management signals
  Scientific signals that may trigger tighter controls, enhanced monitoring, or mitigation measures at primary production and processing stages.

Trade and market access relevance
Outcomes that could affect import/export requirements, especially for products sourced from regions with higher levels of naturally occurring arsenic.