Application of a much stricter limit for the permitted level aflatoxin u milk, which was supposed to enter into force on December 1 this year, has been postponed to December 1, 2026, writes eKapija.
The decision was made by the Government of Serbia through amendments to the Rulebook on maximum concentrations of certain contaminants in food, published in the Official Gazette.
According to the new deadlines, the European standard that limits aflatoxin in raw and thermally processed milk, as well as milk intended for processing, to 0,05 micrograms per kilogram will be valid only from 2026. Until then, the much higher permitted amount - 0,25 micrograms, which has been in effect for years, will remain in force.
The topic of aflatoxin has often been in the center of attention of the domestic public since 2013, when a great panic broke out due to elevated levels in milk. Since then, the issue of borders, their alignment with EU standards and sustainability for domestic production has been raised almost every year.
The state has been announcing a gradual reduction of the permitted level for a long time, while producers complain that a sudden change would endanger a large number of farms due to problems in livestock nutrition, especially in years with unfavorable climatic conditions.
Source: eKapija