Maximum residue levels for fluoride ion

Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1321 of 25 July 2022 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 fluoride ion, oxyfluorfen, pyroxsulam, quinmerac and sulfuryl fluoride in or on certain products

Update

Commission Regulation 2022/1321, published on 25 July, establishes fluoride ion MRLs on a wide range of products – fruits, vegetables, fungi, algae, pulses, oilseeds, oil fruits, cereals, teas, cocoa beans, sugar plants and products of animal origin – that will apply from February 2023.

Impacted Products

citrus fruits, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, chestnuts, hazelnut/cob nuts, macadamias, pecans, pine kernels, pistachios, walnuts, coconuts, pome fruits, stone fruits, berries and small fruits, miscellaneous fruits, fruiting vegetables, brassica vegetables, legume vegetables, stem vegetables, fungi, mosses and lichens, algae and prokaryotes, pulses, oilseeds, oil fruits, cereals, teas, cocoa beans, sugar plants, products of animal origin

What is changing?

The changes to MRLs are summarised in Table 1.

Why?

Following an evaluation of existing MRLs, EFSA (2021) concluded that insufficient information was available to complete the assessment for fluoride ion. Taking into account additional monitoring data provided by food business operators, the Commission established new MRLs at which there is no risk for consumers.

Timeline

New MRLs will apply from 21 February 2023. Where products are exported in compliance with the old MRLs before 21 February 2023, these products may stay on the market after this date, even where not compliant with new MRLs.

Recommended Actions

Suppliers of all fruits and vegetables should check the use of fluoride ion on these products to verify compliance with established MRLs.

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

Sources

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