On June 12, 2019, the Vietnam Cashew Association (VINACAS) announced the publication of the 1st edition of Vietnamese Standard TCVN 12380:2018: Raw cashew nut (RCN) – Technical requirements.

The second edition of the INC Academia, Executive Program on Nuts and Dried Fruits, closed on May 21, 2019, with a total of 51 students from 25 countries, 21% more than in the previous edition. With this success, the INC Academia continues to grow as the education program for food industry professionals to learn about the basics of the nut and dried fruit business.

This year, the Scientific Seminar invited an expert on allergy as a guest speaker: Dr. Vicki McWilliam, Clinical Allergy Dietitian and Researcher at the Royal Children’s Hospital and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute of Melbourne, Australia.

At the conference, titled “Nuts as part of a healthy diet: evidence and insights from research”, Prof. Linda Tapsell, Senior Professor of School of Medicine of the University of Wollongong, Australia, talked about different health topics in relation to nut consumption and the scientific evidence to date.

Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency has announced the adoption of the MRL for difenoconazole previously notified (see post).

On May 13, 2019, China announced the imposition of additional tariffs on certain US products.

The National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China notified the World Trade Organization of the National Standard of the P.R.C.: Maximum Levels of Mycotoxins in Foods (GB2761).

On May 8, 2019, the European Commission published the Commission Implementing Regulation 2019/707 of 7 May 2019 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 as regards the extension of the approval periods of the active substances alpha-cypermethrin, beflubutamid, benalaxyl, benthiavalicarb, bifenazate, boscalid, bromoxynil, captan, cyazofamid, desmedipham, dimethoate, dimethomorph, diuron, ethephon, etoxazole, famoxadone, fenamiphos, flumioxazine, fluoxastrobin, folpet, foramsulfuron, formetanate, metalaxyl-m, methiocarb, metribuzin, milbemectin, Paecilomyces lilacinus strain 251, phenmedipham, phosmet, pirimiphos-methyl, propamocarb, prothioconazole, s-metolachlor and tebuconazole.

A new draft Regulation as regards the maximum residue levels (MRLs) for chlorate in or on certain products will be discussed by EU Member States at the Standing Committee meeting of June 13-14, 2019.