The European Union has published a draft regulation revising maximum residue levels (MRLs) for several pesticides in food products, including changes affecting nuts and dried fruits.
Under the draft amendment to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the EU intends to lower the MRLs for diazinon and fenarimol to the limit of detection (LOD, 0.01 mg/kg) for nuts and certain fruits. This effectively means that any detectable residues of these pesticides would no longer be allowed.
Limits for other pesticides such as azocyclotin, chlorfenapyr, dicofol, and endosulfan would also be reduced to levels between 0.01 and 0.03 mg/kg.
The draft regulation and its annex are available on the EU Comitology Register:
- Draft Commission Regulation amending Annexes II, III and V to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for azocyclotin, chlorfenapyr, cyhexatin, diazinon, dicofol, endosulfan, fenarimol, fenpropathrin and profenofos in or on certain products
- Draft Annex