The objective of the focal action was the implementation of the legal requirement from Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006, according to which the member states are obliged to monitor the nitrate content of vegetables (in particular green leafy vegetables), which may contain significant levels of nitrates, and to report the results to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). In the course of this monitoring, 79 samples from Austria were examined.

• Two samples of spinach/fresh were objected to due to exceeding the legal maximum level for nitrate.