Guidelines On The Conditions For Using Activated Alumina For The Removal Fluoride From Natural Mineral Waters And Of Spring Waters

Commission Directive 2003/40/EC sets up a maximum limit1concentration in natural mineral waters (NMW); that provision comes into application on 1January 2008. From this date, NMW which do not comply with this requirement can nolonger be marketed unless they have undergone a treatment for fluoride removal inaccordance with Article 4 of Directive 80/777/EEC.Pursuant to Article 4.1.c) of Council Directive 80/777/EEC, such treatment has to:- comply with conditions of use to be determined after consultation of the EuropeanFood Safety Authority (EFSA);- be notified to the competent Member State authorities and be submitted to a specificcontrol of these authorities.The fluoride removal on activated alumina was evaluated by EFSA which issued on 27September 2006 a favourable opinion on the use of that treatment in NMW and spring waters.It was not possible to determine on a regulatory basis the conditions for the use of thetreatment mentioned above before the date from which the maximum limit of fluoride shall becomplied with.Pending adoption by way of regulatory instrument that should be done as soon as possible, thepurpose of the present guidelines is to provide the operators concerned as well as the MemberState control authorities with the conditions of use of the treatment. These guidelines havebeen agreed with the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health at itsmeeting of 14 December 2007.It has to be noted that no other treatment for NMW de-fluoridation has been assessed andvalidated by the EFSA. Therefore, the treatment on activated alumina is the only usabletreatment in that purpose for both natural mineral waters and spring waters.(ML) of 5 mg/l for the fluoride