Regulations less strict
US-UK agreement bad for market
If Britain enters into a trade deal with the United States after Brexit, it could flood the UK market with carcinogens. That reports the British newspaper The Independent.
US regulations accept more than 20 times the number of toxic substances than European legislation. American standards also allow products made with certain nuts and grains, which increases the risk of carcinogens in dairy products in particular.
Link to liver cancer
The link with liver cancer is generally accepted in the United States. The less strict regulations ensure that American manufacturers can produce cheaper food. British opponents are now warning that a rapid trade deal with the US could put public health at risk if safety regulations are lowered.
US regulations allow 0,5 micrograms of aflatoxin per kilogram in milk, grains, nuts and dried fruits. In the EU, that number is limited to 0,025 micrograms per kilo and 0,05 micrograms per kilo for dairy products. According to Simon Dawson, professor of Food Science and Technology, exposure to that aflatoxin has quite a few adverse effects on the body. "In babies, the immune system is not yet fully developed, so they are especially sensitive to these toxins."
Fungi on agricultural crops
The chemicals are produced by fungi found on agricultural crops. These fungi can also infect the rest of the crop. Several studies have shown that these fungi have a direct link with liver cancer, because the toxins cause the cells that are supposed to stop the growth of malignant tumors to die.
According to Dawson, there are no studies that prove that it is exactly a level of 0,5 micrograms per kilo. "However, that is precisely why we have to make sure that we keep the levels as low as possible. And that is why EU legislation is the right legislation."
Agreements between US and EU strands
The American regulations are not immediately considered unsafe, but ensure that the American farmer can produce more. The latter has always been an obstacle in trade agreements between the United States and the European Union. A spokesperson for the Food Standards Agency disagrees. "However, those numbers don't compare well because different methods are used in the US to calculate the risks."
However, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of International Trade (UK), that does not matter. "We'd like to sign a trade deal with the US, but don't know if we want to lower our high security standards to do so. It's too early to say exactly what could be discussed in a future agreement."
Ian Murray, campaign group Open Britain, is also not in favor of a trade deal with the US. "The British government's desperation to negotiate a deal with Trump's America could endanger the health of our babies. Lowering our legislation, and therefore the risk of carcinogens in our food, is unacceptable. ministers should make that clear."
Kimberly Baker
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