EFSA reviews

6 Jan 2022

Latest reviews from the European Food Safety Authority:

Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment for the active substance penthiopyrad

The conclusions of EFSA following the peer review of the initial risk assessment carried out by the competent authority of the original rapporteur Member State United Kingdom supported by the new rapporteur Member State Sweden, for the pesticide active substance penthiopyrad are reported.

The context of the peer review was that requested by the European Commission following the submission and evaluation of confirmatory information in the area of mammalian toxicology. The European Commission mandated EFSA to arrange a further peer review of the confirmatory data.

The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative uses of penthiopyrad as a fungicide on pome fruit, tomato, aubergines, cucurbits, cucumbers, courgettes and cereals. The reliable endpoints concluded as being appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment, derived from the available studies and/or literature in the dossier peer reviewed, are presented. Concerns are identified.

For more information see the EFSA report.

Modification of the existing maximum residue levels for fosetyl/phosphonic acid in chards/beet leaves and honey resulting from the use of potassium phosphonates

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicant BASF SE submitted a request to the competent national authority in the Netherlands to modify the existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) for fosetyl/phosphonic acid (fosetyl-Al (sum of fosetyl, phosphonic acid and their salts, expressed as fosetyl)) in chards/beet leaves and honey.

The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive MRL proposals for the commodities under assessment. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of fosetyl and phosphonic acid in chards/beet leaves and honey.

Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the short-term and long-term intake of phosphonic acid residues resulting in chard/beet leaves and honey from the use of potassium phosphonates according to the reported agricultural practice is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health.

For more information see the EFSA report.

Pest categorisation of Xylotrechus chinensis

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Xylotrechus chinensis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) for the EU territory. This species is not included in the EU Commission Implementing Regulation 2019/2072. X. chinensis is native to China, Japan, the Korean peninsula and Taiwan.

It has recently been reported from Spain (Catalonia; Region of Valencia), Greece (Athens; Crete) and France (Hérault; Gironde). X. chinensis attacks and kills Morus spp. in Europe and is also a pest of Malus domestica, Pyrus sp. and Vitis vinifera in Asia. This last species, however, was not confirmed as a host in an experimental study in Spain. The pest is univoltine. The adults are 1.5–2.5 cm long; they emerge between May and August. Each female produces approximately 80 eggs which are laid on the bark. The larvae live in the phloem and tunnel into the xylem where they pupate.

Infested trees show injuries including longitudinal slits in the bark, caused by larval activity next to the surface and round exit holes from which frass emerges. The females respond to a male sex pheromone, which has not been developed into a detection method. The adults spread by flight as suggested by the local expansion of damage in Europe. However, wood packaging material and wooden objects can also be a pathway as suggested by interceptions in Germany and the USA. In Greece and Spain, hundreds of Morus trees have already been attacked within a few years, and often killed. The infested area has been observed to expand from 44 to 380 km2 within 2 years in Spain (Catalonia).

Phytosanitary measures are available to inhibit further introductions and slow the spread within the EU. X. chinensis satisfies all the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest.

For more information see the EFSA report.