Contaminants such as mycotoxins, heavy metals or MOSH/MOAH can appear in your product without warning. Their presence may be unintentional, but responsibility is unavoidable. Triskelion helps you detect, interpret and respond to contaminants with speed and scientific precision. So you stay ahead of risk and in control of compliance.
Contaminants are unwanted substances that end up in food through environmental exposure, processing, packaging or migration. Common examples include mycotoxins from moulds on grains, nuts or spices, heavy metals like lead, cadmium or mercury, en residues from lubricants, solvents or packaging (e.g. MOSH/MOAH).
Even in trace amounts, these substances can be harmful. That’s why EU legislation sets strict maximum levels (MLs) for many contaminants. Food producers are responsible for ensuring compliance — and for acting quickly when results are non-compliant or ambiguous.
The general duty to produce safe food is set by Regulation (EC) No 178/2002. Specific contaminant limits are listed in Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 and its amendments. These include MLs for aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, DON, ZEA and other mycotoxins, lead, cadmium, mercury and other metals, 3-MCPD, glycidyl esters, PAHs and more.
Authorities also expect proper sampling, method validation, trend monitoring and documentation — even when levels are within limits.
You may face contaminant concerns when working with high-risk raw materials (e.g. cocoa, cereals, oilseeds), sourcing from new suppliers or regions, using recycled packaging materials, of experiencing unexplained quality issues or product complaints.
Without the right controls, even compliant batches can trigger investigations or reputational damage.
Triskelion combines deep analytical expertise with practical regulatory insight. We help you manage contaminant risks proactively and defensibly.
We offer targeted testing for mycotoxins, heavy metals, MOSH/MOAH and other critical substances using validated methods across a wide range of food matrices.
We provide clear interpretation and reporting — not just test results, but also what they mean, how they relate to regulatory limits and what actions are needed.
Our trend monitoring helps you detect emerging patterns before they escalate into compliance issues.
Through strategic advice, we support everything from supplier selection to root cause analysis.
With Triskelion, you do not just get measurements. You get usable insights and full confidence in your compliance approach.
Are all contaminants regulated?
No. Some, like MOSH/MOAH, are not yet harmonised across the EU. Still, you’re expected to assess them under the general safety obligation.
Can I rely on supplier certificates?
They help, but do not replace your responsibility. We help verify, challenge and supplement supplier data where needed.
What if I exceed a limit?
Act fast. We help you assess the risk, document your response and communicate with authorities if needed.
We help you detect what’s hidden, interpret what matters and document it clearly.
Contact us for a contaminant check, intake or tailored proposal for food safety support.
