Three new European Commission regulations have come into force governing contaminants in food.
They set maximum levels for mycotoxins, heavy metals and dioxins, lay down methods of sampling and analysis for nitrates in lettuce and spinach, and specify methods of dioxin testing.
Suppliers must now provide evidence of concentration of certain contaminants in dried, diluted and compound foodstuffs.
Maximum mycotoxin levels have been introduced for cereal bran and maximum lead levels in cow's milk have been extended to milk from all ruminants. The maximum lead level in all fish has been set at 300 micrograms/kg.
Pine nuts have been excluded from the limits for cadmium and farmed game has been excluded from those for dioxins.