Maximum residue levels for dithianon on apples and pears
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EU to reduce MRLs for dithianon on apples and pears
Draft Commission Regulation amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for dithianon in or on certain products
Update
The European Commission has informed the World Trade Organization Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (WTO SPS) Committee of its intention to reduce the MRLs for dithianon on apples and pears (G/SPS/N/EU/686).
Impacted Products
Apples, pears
What is changing?
The EU proposes to reduce the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for dithianon on apples and pears from 3 to 1.5 mg/kg.
Why?
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) identified an exceedance of the acute reference dose (ARfD) of dithianon on apples and pears with the current MRL, which indicates a potential risk to consumers. Alternative Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) were proposed which would allow a lowering of the MRLs to levels that do not pose a risk for consumers.
EFSA (2020) noted that the mutagenicity potential of the metabolite 1,4-naphthoquinone (a chemical intermediate for dithianon) remains uncertain. Therefore, the values of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) and ARfD of 1,4-naphthoquinone are considered provisional.
Timeline
Expected date of publication: July 2024
The new MRLs are expected to apply from early 2025.
Recommended Actions
Competent authorities of countries that are members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) can submit comments on the EU’s proposal by emailing the EU SPS Enquiry Point until 29 December 2023.
Suppliers of apples and pears to the EU market should review current GAP to ensure that they will meet the new reduced MRLs by early 2025.
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.
Resources
EFSA (2023) Review of the existing maximum residue levels for dithianon according to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. EFSA Journal, 21(1): 7731.
EFSA (2020) Conclusion on the updated peer review of the pesticide risk assessment for the active substance dithianon in light of confirmatory data submitted. EFSA Journal, 18(9): 6189.
Sources
Draft Commission Regulation as regards maximum residue levels for dithianon in or on certain products
Old and new (proposed) MRLs for dithianon PLAN/2023/1782 v3
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