Food News

While the new MRLs will apply as usual with a transitional period of six months after publication of the corresponding regulation, the new ARfD for acetamiprid already applies.

However, the regulation amending the maximum residue levels has not yet been published. It is expected to be published at the beginning of 2025 and the new maximum residue levels will then apply after 6 months.

The early reduction of the ARfD (Acute Reference Dose) value to 0.005 mg/kg body weight, which has already been entered in the EU pesticide database, could in some cases result in the ARfD value being exceeded for some types of fruit and vegetables, although the maximum residue level for this active substance is not exceeded under the currently valid regulation.This could be the case for apples, pears, quinces, table grapes, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and courgettes.

According to a legal assessment commissioned by the German Fruit Trade Association (Deutscher Fruchthandelsverband, DFHV), the lawyers assume that an exceedance of the ARfD value cannot currently be used to assess marketability as long as the applicable maximum residue levels are complied with.

YOUR PLUS: As a member of DeLOG (Deutsche Laborgemeinschaft Obst & Gemüse), the AGROLAB residue laboratories support the arguments of the DFHV report and see no reason to determine non-marketability in the event of an ARfD exceedance for acetamiprid.

Author: Dr Frank Mörsberger, AGROLAB GROUP