Maximum residue levels for DDT
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EU amends maximum residue level for DDT on wild boar
Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/163 of 18 January 2023 amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for DDT and oxathiapiprolin in or on certain products
Update
The European Commission has amended the maximum residue level (MRL) for DDT in wild boar.
Impacted Products
wild boar
What is changing?
The European Commission has aligned the maximum residue level (MRL) for DDT in wild boar with the MRL for swine (1 mg/kg).
Why?
Despite the fact that DDT is no longer used in the EU, it can still be detected at very low levels in some plant and animal products due to its persistence in the environment. In 2008, MRLs were set for DDT in all products of plant and animal origin. Commodities from wild boar were included in the wild terrestrial animals category.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) provided data for 2016 to 2020 showing that DDT residues in wild boar commodities were consistently higher than the MRL set for wild terrestrial animals (0.05 mg/kg), and were close to the MRL set for swine (1 mg/kg). The Commission therefore proposes to align the MRL for DDT in wild boars with that for swine.
Timeline
The new MRL applies from 7 February 2023.
Background
MRLs are set in accordance with the rules set out in Regulation 396/2005. For information on current MRLs for other substances, please consult the EU Pesticide Residues database.
Sources
Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/163