Date: 2026-07-30Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1890 of 29 July 2026 amending Regulation (EU) 2023/915 as regards maximum levels of the sum of furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran in processed cereal-based food for infants and young children and in baby food
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
**Executive Summary**
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1890 amends Regulation (EU) 2023/915 to establish maximum levels for the sum of furan, 2-methylfuran, and 3-methylfuran in processed cereal-based food and baby food for infants and young children. These measures address public health concerns regarding process contaminants formed during thermal food processing. The regulation enters into force in August 2026 and applies from 1 January 2028, with transitional provisions for products placed on the market before that date.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Contaminant Scope and Calculation**
* The regulation targets furan and alkylfurans (2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran), which are contaminants produced during thermal processing.
* Maximum levels refer to "lower bound" concentrations, assuming any values below the limit of quantification are zero.
* The total level is calculated using the formula: furan + (0.83 × 2-methylfuran) + (0.83 × 3-methylfuran).
**New Maximum Levels (µg/kg)**
* **Processed cereal-based food:** A limit of 40 µg/kg is set for products intended for infants and young children.
* **Dairy-based and fruit-based baby food:** A limit of 30 µg/kg applies to baby foods containing at least 80% dairy, fruit, or a mixture of both.
* **Other baby food:** A limit of 80 µg/kg is established for baby foods not covered by the dairy/fruit category.
**Timeline and Transitional Measures**
* **Effective Date:** The regulation applies from 1 January 2028.
* **Transitional Period:** Food products lawfully placed on the market before 1 January 2028 may remain on the market until their date of minimum durability or use-by date.
**Impact Analysis**
**Economic Operators (Food Business Operators)**
**Impact**
Manufacturers of processed cereal-based foods and baby foods must comply with new, specific thresholds for furan and methylfurans, which were previously monitored but not strictly limited under these categories.
**Action Required**
Operators must review thermal processing methods to ensure contaminant levels remain below the new limits and ensure that all products placed on the market after 1 January 2028 meet the requirements of Annex I, point 5.6.
**Member State Authorities**
**Impact**
National authorities gain a legal basis to enforce maximum levels for these specific contaminants in infant and baby food, following previous recommendations for monitoring.
**Action Required**
Regulatory bodies must update their control and inspection protocols to monitor compliance with the new maximum levels starting 1 January 2028, while permitting the sale of older stock according to the transitional provisions.
Key Entities Referenced
Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1890: The primary amending regulation that establishes new maximum levels for furan, 2-methylfuran, and 3-methylfuran in processed cereal-based foods and baby food.
Regulation (EU) 2023/915: The principal EU regulation on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food, which is amended by this act to include specific limits for furans.
Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM Panel): An EFSA panel whose scientific opinion regarding the health risks of exposure to furan and methylfurans provided the technical basis for the regulation.
Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF): The EU's notification system for food safety risks, which identified concerning levels of furans in baby food, triggering the need for established maximum limits.
Council Regulation (EEC) No 315/93: The foundational EU legislation laying down Community procedures for contaminants in food, providing the legal basis for the current regulation.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2026/1890 30.7.2026
COMMISSION REGULATION(EU) 2026/1890
of 29 July 2026
amending Regulation (EU) 2023/915 as regards maximum levels of the sum of furan, 2-methylfuran
and 3-methylfuran in processed cereal-based food for infants and young children and in baby food
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 315/93 of 8 February 1993 laying down Community procedures for
contaminants in food(1), and in particular Article 2(3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915(2)sets maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs.
(2) Furan and alkylfurans, which include methylfurans such as 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran, are process
contaminants that are formed in foods during thermal processing.
(3) In 2017, the Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (‘the CONTAM Panel’) of the European Food Safety
Authority (‘the Authority’) adopted a scientific opinion on the risks that the presence of furan and methylfurans in
food poses to public health(3). In its opinion the CONTAM Panel concluded that the current levels of exposure to
furan indicate a health concern. As for methylfurans, it concluded that they may add significantly to the overall
exposure to furan and alkylfurans and that, therefore, they are of increased health concern. However, as data are
lacking on the presence of methylfurans in food, the CONTAM Panel recommended collecting additional data in this
area.
(4) In 2022, the Commission adopted a Recommendation(4)for the monitoring by Member States, in collaboration with
food business operators, of furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran in food, in particular in coffee, jarred baby food
(including baby food in containers, tubes and pouches), ready-to-eat soups, potato-based crisps, fruit juices, breakfast
cereals, biscuits, crackers and crispbread.
(5) In 2024, there were several notifications in the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) on the presence of
certain levels of furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran in baby food that are of health concern.
(6) Taking into account the conclusions of the scientific opinion of the CONTAM Panel, the availability of the occurrence
data and the RASFF notifications, it is appropriate to establish maximum levels for the presence of furan,
2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran in processed cereal-based food for infants and young children and in baby food.
(7) Regulation (EU) 2023/915 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(1) OJ L 37, 13.2.1993, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/1993/315/oj.
(2) Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 of 25 April 2023 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food and repealing
Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 (OJ L 119, 5.5.2023, p. 103, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/915/oj).
(3) EFSA CONTAM Panel (EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain), ‘Scientific opinion on the risks for public health related to the
presence of furan and methylfurans in food’, EFSA Journal2017;15(10):5005, 142 pp., https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2017.5005.
(4) Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/495 of 25 March 2022 on monitoring the presence of furan and alkylfurans in food
(OJ L 100, 28.3.2022, p. 60, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2022/495/oj).
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2026/1890/oj 1/3EN
OJ L, 30.7.2026
(8) To enable economic operators to prepare for the new rules in processed cereal-based food for infants and young
children and in baby food, it is appropriate to provide for a reasonable time until the new rules start to apply. It is
also appropriate to provide for a transitional period in regard to food containing furan, 2-methylfuran or
3-methylfuran, which is lawfully placed on the market before the date of application of this Regulation.
(9) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on
Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Regulation (EU) 2023/915 is amended as follows:
(1) Article 10(1) is amended as follows:
(a) the introductory phrase is replaced by the following:
‘Food lawfully placed on the market prior to the dates referred to in points (a) to (s) may remain on the market
until their date of minimum durability or use-by date:’;
(b) the following point (s) is added:
‘(s) 1 January 2028 as regards the maximum levels for sum of furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran,
expressed as furan, set out in point 5.6 of Annex I’;
(2) Annex I is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Union.
It shall apply from 1 January 2028.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 29 July 2026.
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYEN
2/3 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2026/1890/ojANNEX
In Section 5 ‘Processing contaminants’ of Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2023/915, the entry 5.6 ‘Sum of furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran, expressed as furan’ is added:
Sum of furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran, expressed
‘5.6 Maximum levels (μg/kg) Remarks
as furan
For the sum of furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran, expressed as furan,
maximum levels refer to lower bound concentrations, which are calculated on
the assumption that all the values below the limit of quantification are zero.
A factor of 0,83 is applied to the level of 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran
and the maximum level refers to the sum of furan + 0,83 ×
2-methylfuran + 0,83 × 3-methylfuran
5.6.1 Processed cereal-based food for infants and young 40
children (3)
5.6.2 Baby food (3)
5.6.2.1 Dairy-based and fruit-based baby food 30 The maximum level applies to baby food containing at least 80 % of dairy,
fruit or of a mixture of dairy and fruit.’
Baby food consisting of a mixture of dairy and fruit.
5.6.2.2 Other baby food 80
ELI:
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2026/1890/oj
3/3
OJ
L,
30.7.2026
EN