We hope that you will read this newsletter with great interest. The aim of this newsletter is to keep you updated on the new MRLs for certain pesticides that have recently been published by the EU.  Of emphasis, are the updates on EU- MRLs for Chlorate and Perchlorate in particular. If you have any questions, please contact us.

MRL Changes in EU-Legislation On Pesticide Residues

Recently, the EU has published 4 changes to regulation EU 396/2005 about maximum residue levels of pesticides. A number of these changes are currently already active. The other changes will become active in January 2021. 

• Regulation EU 2020/749 is an amendment to Annex III to Regulation EU 396/2005, and describes a change in the maximum residue levels of Chlorate in or on certain products. This regulation is already active since the 28th of June 2020.
• Regulation EU 2020/770 is an amendment to Annex II and III to Regulation EU 396/2005, and describes a change in the maximum residue levels of Myclobutanil, Napropamide and Sintofen in or on certain products. This regulation will become active on the 2nd of January 2021.
• Regulation EU 2020/785 is an amendment to Annex II and III to Regulation EU 396/2005, and describes a change in the maximum residue levels of chromafenozide, fluometuron, pencycuron, sedaxaan, tau-fluvalinaat and triazoxide in or on certain products. This regulation will become active on the 6th of January 2021.
• Regulation EU 2020/856 is an amendment to Annex II and III to Regulation EU 396/2005, and describes a change in the maximum residue levels of cyantraniliprole, cyazofamid, cyprodinil, fenpyroximaat, fludioxonil, fluxapyroxad, imazalil, isofetamid, kresoxim-methyl, lufenuron, mandipropamid, propamocarb, pyraclostrobin, pyriofenone, pyriproxyfen and spinetoram in or on certain products. This regulation is already active since the 9th of July.  

If you want more information about these changes and the impact on your products, feel free to ask us. 

Changes in EU Legislation For Residues Of Chlorate And Perchlorate

For both Chlorate and Perchlorate, changes in EU legislation have recently been published.

Maximum residue limits will apply for Chlorate from the 28th of June.

In Europe, the use of chlorate as a plant protection product has been banned for a number of years. In addition to this direct application as a plant protection product, chlorate can also occur in water as degradation products of disinfectants. If this water is used as irrigation during cultivation of crops, there is a chance that the final product contains too much chlorate. The MRLs in potatoes, vegetables, fruit and other foods varies between 0.05 and 0.7 mg / kg of product. The MRLs are set in regulation EC 749/2020 and are effective from the 28th of June 2020.

Maximum levels for Perchlorate in fruit and vegetables, tea, baby food and cereals from the 1st of July.

Perchlorate is one of the contaminants that can get into food. This chemical compound occurs naturally in our environment, but even more because it is a degradation product of fertilizers or disinfectants. Crops can absorb Perchlorate which can result in the contamination of fruits and vegetables with Perchlorate. Long-term consumption of products with perchlorate can cause health risks. That is why the EU has decided to include the levels of Perchlorate in certain products in Regulation EC 1881/2006. From the 1st of July 2020, these maximum levels will apply to the product groups: fruit and vegetables, tea, baby food and processed cereal-based foods.

The Food Safety Lab at Cropnuts can examine your products for pesticide residues. For this we have an in-house LC-MSMS method with 0.01 mg/kg as reporting limit. For more information about Perchlorate or Chlorate and the analysis for these residues, please contact us. The MRLs for specific products can also be found in the EU pesticide database (Chlorate) or in the appendix of regulations EC 749/2020 or EC 1881/2006.

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