FAO: Risk Assessment of Food Allergens (Part 2)
The FAO and WHO reconvened the Ad hoc Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Risk Assessment of Food Allergens for a second meeting to provide scientific advice and establish threshold levels in foods for priority allergens.
The committee considered four approaches to define thresholds: analytical-based; no observed adverse effect level [NOAEL] and uncertainty factor [UF]; benchmark dose [BMD] with/without margin of exposure (MoE); and probabilistic hazard assessment before opting for the latter and benchmark dose without MoE.
The expert committee concurred that the benchmark dose/probabilistic hazard assessment approach aligned most closely with the requests of the Codex Alimentarius Committees. They reached a consensus on reference doses (RfD) for priority allergenic foods, meeting the criterion that they should reflect a range of exposure without appreciable health risk.
Tree nuts and peanuts are among the food allergens studied.
Brazil: Phytosanitary Requirements for Pistachios from Argentina
The following notification submitted to the WTO establishes the phytosanitary requirements for the importation of pistachios (Pistacia vera) from Argentina. They entered into force on January 2, 2023.
Canada: MRLs for Ipflufenoquin
The objective of this notification submitted to the WTO on January 5, 2023, is to consult on the listed maximum residue limits (MRLs) for ipflufenoquin that have been proposed by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA).
| Commodity | MRL (ppm) |
| Almonds | 0.01 |
Final date for comments is March 8, 2023.
EU: Changes in Official Controls
On November 29, 2022, EU Member States voted in favor of a draft Commission Implementing Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1793, which lays down rules on the temporary increase of official controls at the entry into the EU of certain foods.
Changes for nuts and dried fruits:
- Dried figs and products derived from dried figs from Türkiye: A high rate of non-compliance with the relevant requirements provided for in EU legislation with respect to contamination by aflatoxins was detected during official controls. The proposed regulation increases the frequency of identity and physical checks on dried figs entering the EU to 30%.
- Brazil nuts in shell and mixtures of Brazil nuts or dried fruits containing Brazil nuts in shell from Brazil should be transferred to Annex I, maintaining the level of frequency of identity and physical checks at 50% of consignments entering the EU.
- Groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Argentina: Increased controls are no longer justified for these commodities and their entry in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 should be deleted.
- Groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Bolivia should be transferred to Annex II, with a frequency of identity and physical checks set at 50% of consignments entering the EU.
- Groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Brazil: An increased level of official controls due to the risk of contamination by aflatoxins is no longer justified and their entry for this reason in Annex I should be deleted.
- Groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Brazil: A high rate of non-compliance with the relevant requirements provided for in EU legislation with respect to contamination by pesticide residues was detected during official controls performed by Member States. The proposed regulation finds it appropriate to increase the frequency of identity and physical checks to 30%.
- Groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Madagascar: These commodities have not been imported into the EU for more than three years. Therefore, their entry in Annex I to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 should be deleted.
EU: Glyphosate License Extended until December 2023
The European Commission has extended the authorization for the use of herbicide glyphosate until December 15, 2023. On the other hand, the EU is partly funding a project to develop a natural substitute for glyphosate —the CARINA project— as part of the EU’s Horizon Europe Framework Program for Research and Innovation. They will use the natural molecules and compounds of two plants, Carinata and Carmelina, to develop an effective bioherbicide to replace glyphosate. The CARINA project, which started on November 1, 2022 and is expected to end on October 31, 2026, involves 19 partners based in 13 different countries.
EU: Review of Pyriproxyfen MRLs
The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) published its reasoned opinion Review of the existing maximum residue levels for pyriproxyfen according to Article 12 of Regulation (EC)No 396/2005.
| Commodities | Current EU MRL (mg/kg) | EFSA recommendation |
| Almonds, Hazelnuts, Pecans, Pine nuts kernels, Pistachios, Walnuts | 0.05 | 0.01 |
| Macadamias | 0.05 | 0.05 |
The European Commission will perform its own assessment based on the EFSA opinion.
EU: Suspension of Autonomous Common Customs Tariff Duties
Council Regulation (EU) 2022/2583 of December 19, 2022, amending Regulation (EU) 2021/2278 and suspending Common Customs Tariff duties on certain agricultural products, entered into force on January 1, 2023.
In addition to the autonomous suspension of tariff duties on the products listed in the Annex, the Regulation also excludes the suspensions to products originating in Belarus, with the exception of products falling under TARIC code 2926907024 and products originating in Russia, with the exception of products falling under TARIC codes 7608208930 and 8401300020.
Products of concern listed in the Annex:
| Serial number | CN code | TARIC | Description | Rate of autonomous duty | Date envisaged for mandatory review |
| 0.3347 | ex 0804 10 00 | 30 | Dates, fresh or dried, for use in the manufacture (excluding packing) of products of drink or food industries | 0 % | 31.12.2023 |
| 0.4716 | ex 2008 93 91 | 20 | Sweetened dried cranberries, excluding packing alone as processing, for the manufacture of products of food processing industries | 0 % | 31.12.2027 |
Kenya: Code of Practice, Part 1: Tree Nuts
On December 15, 2022, Kenya notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of the Standard KS 2958-1:2022 Nuts and oil crops industry —Code of practice —Part 1: Tree nuts, which was adopted on August 26, 2022.
USA: Food Code 2022
The recently released U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code intends to provide guidance to state and local authorities and retailers to help mitigate foodborne illness risks at retail, as well as to provide a uniform set of national standards for retail food safety. Fruits and nuts are among the foods covered.
USA: MRLs for Simazine
On January 5, 2023, the USA notified the WTO on new tolerances for residues of simazine for certain food products including tree nuts, currants and cranberries. They also amend the tolerance for residues in or on almond hulls.
This regulation is effective since December 22, 2022. Objections and requests for hearings must be received on or before February 21, 2023.
USA: Extension of Tolerance of Propyzamide for Cranberries
Effective since December 16, 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extends the time-limited tolerance for residues of the herbicide propyzamide in or on cranberry at 1 part per million (ppm) for an additional 3-year period.
This regulation will expire on December 31, 2025.