Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) carry out official controls to contaminants in food. Contaminants are substances that have not been intentionally added to food. These substances may be present in food as a result of the various stages of its production, packaging, transport or holding. They also might result from environmental contamination. Since contamination generally has a negative impact on the quality of food and may imply a risk to human health, the BFSA has taken measures to minimise in foodstuffs the following contaminants: mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, patulin), metals (cadmium, lead, inorganic tin) and nitrates.

Key words: official controls, contaminants in food, results.