L 19/46 Official Journal of the European Communities 25.1.2000 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 6 December 1999 repealing Decision 1999/356/EC and imposing special conditions on the import of peanuts and certain products derived from peanuts originating in or consigned from Egypt (notified under document number C(1999) 4232) (Text with EEA relevance) (2000/49/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 93/43/EEC of 14 June 1993 on the hygiene of foodstuffs ('), and in particular Article 10(1) thereof, After consulting the Member States, Whereas: 1) Commission Decision 1999/356/EC of 28 May 1999 on the temporary suspension of imports of peanuts and certain products derived from peanuts originating in, or consigned from Egypt (?) is applicable until 1 December 1999 and should be repealed; Peanuts originating in or consigned from Egypt had been found to be contaminated with Aflatoxin B1 at high levels. Sampling indicated a serious and recurring aflatoxin contamination of peanuts originating in or consigned from Egypt; The Scientific Committee for Food has noted that afla- toxins, in particular Aflatoxin B1, are carcinogenic substances and even at low doses, cause cancer of the liver and in addition are genotoxic; Commission Regulation (EC) No 1525/98 (*) amending Regulation (EC) No 19497 sets maximum levels for certain contaminants and in particular aflatoxins in foodstuffs. These limits have been exceeded to an exces- sive amount in samples of peanuts originating in or consigned from Egypt. The limits for Aflatoxin Bl in ground nuts which are intended for direct consumption, and those which may be sorted or subject to further processing, are set in this Regulation at two and eight parts per billion (ppb) respectively. Contamination of 75, 19.7.1993, p. 1. o L1 0] L 139, 2.6.1999, p. 32. o L2 01, 17.7.1998, p. 4. Aflatoxin B1 at levels as high as 485 ppb have been detected in peanuts from Egypt; Egypt is a major exporter of peanuts to the Community and the exposure of the population to peanuts or peanut products contaminated with aflatoxin constitutes a serious threat to public health within the Community; An examination of conditions of hygiene in Egypt has been undertaken and revealed that improvements in hygiene practices and the traceability of peanuts are required. Commitments have been received from the Egyptian authorities in particular in relation to improve- ments in production, handling, sorting, processing, packaging and transport practices. It is therefore appro- priate to subject peanuts or products derived from peanuts originating in or consigned from Egypt to special conditions to provide a high level of protection to public health; It is necessary that peanuts and products derived from peanuts have been produced, sorted, handled, processed, packaged and transported following good hygienic prac- tices. It is necessary to establish the levels of Aflatoxin Bl and total aflatoxin in samples taken from the consignment immediately prior to leaving Egypt; It is necessary for documentary evidence to be provided by the Egyptian authorities to accompany each consign- ment of peanuts originating in or consigned from Egypt, relating to the conditions of production, sorting, handling, processing, packaging and transport and the results of laboratory analysis of the consignment for levels of Aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxin; It is necessary to submit for analyses at the port of entry into the Community in a systematic manner, lots of peanuts originating in or consigned from Egypt in order to determine the levels of contamination of peanuts of Aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxin,