S.I. No. 271/1982:

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (ERUCIC ACID IN FOOD) (METHOD OF ANALYSIS) REGULATIONS 1982.

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (ERUCIC ACID IN FOOD) (METHOD OF ANALYSIS) REGULATIONS 1982.

The Minister for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 3 of the European Communities Act, 1972 (No. 27 of 1972), hereby makes the following Regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the European Communities (Erucic Acid in Food) (Method of Analysis) Regulations 1982.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of September, 1982.

3. (1) In these Regulations--

"the Directive" means Commission Directive 80/891/EEC.¹

¹ Official Journal of the European Communities No. L 254, 27.9.80, page 35.

(2) In these Regulations words and phrases shall have the same meaning as in the Directive.

4. To determine the erucic acid content of--

(i) oils, fats and mixtures thereof which are intended for human consumption, and

(ii) compound foodstuffs to which oils, fats or mixtures thereof have been added and the overall oil or fat content exceeds 5 per cent

the following method of analysis shall be carried out:

( a ) for screening purposes either the total docosenoic acid content or the total cis-docosenoic acid content may be determined, using the appropriate method provided by Article 2.1 of the Directive.

( b ) if the total content of either docosenoic acid or cis-docosenoic acid determined by using the appropriate method provided for by sub-article (a) of this Article exceeds 5 per cent, or if the screening process has not been carried out, the erucic acid content shall be determined by the method set out in the Annex to the Directive.

5. These Regulations shall be enforced in the functional area of a health board by the health board.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Health this

17th day of August 1982.

MICHAEL WOODS,

Minister for Health.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The Regulations specify the method of analysis to determine the erucic acid content of

(i) oils, fats and mixtures thereof intended for human consumption, and

(ii) compound foodstuffs to which oils, fats or mixtures thereof have been added and the overall oil or fat content exceeds 5 per cent.

The Regulations implement EEC Directive No. 80/891/EEC relating to the Community method of analysis for determining the erucic acid content in oils and fats intended to be used as such for human consumption and foodstuffs containing added oils or fats.

The Regulations come into effect on 1st September, 1982.