Trade policy
What the association does
Trade policy
A major component of the Association's work is to ensure that high standards are developed and maintained, and that legislation both reflects these high standards and is practicably applicable. This enables our industry to best serve the needs of our customers who use flour to make other foodstuffs and ultimately people who eat them.
Engagement with policy makers
We have recently seen success following lobbying of the European Commission on its proposals for maximum levels for ergot and ergot alkaloids in cereals and cereals products. A revised version of the proposal was published in 2019.
Other current MRL discussions that the Association is involved in include T2-HT2, DON and residues of chlorate in food.
We recently collected and shared data on inadvertent presence of allergens (such as soy or mustard) with the Food Standards Agency to help inform their decision on levels of tolerance.
The Association set up a working group to examine existing flour fortification practices, testing and composition and is sharing findings with Public Health England. It is thought that the work carried out by this group will be relevant when the UK government seeks to update aspects of the Bread and Flour Regulations in 2021.
Flour microbiology
Since 1971 the UK Flour Millers has commissioned an annual, independent survey into the microbial content of flour milled in the UK. The last survey, in 2020, again showed low levels of contamination.