First update of the EU database of processing factors for pesticide residues

Abstract

The EU database of processing factors for pesticide residues has been set up in 2018 and was now updated for the first time. 1301 processing studies were added to the database extending it to more than double size. The studies were either provided to EFSA in MRL setting procedures or pesticide peer reviews or they were submitted to BfR in the framework of national or zonal authorization procedures. All studies have been thoroughly (re‐)evaluated with respect to the well‐proven set of quality parameters already applied in the EU database. Processing factors were derived and their reliabilities judged. For newly reported processes such as palm oil and palm kernel oil production, sugar production from sugar cane and sake production from rice the representative processes have been described. Furthermore, new processed matrices such as selected cooked vegetables or pulses have been added to the database and to the accompanying documents.

The 2021 European Union report on pesticide residues in food

“…Of these, two samples of table grapes from Cyprus reported as non‐compliant with administrative actions. A PF of 0.33 (Zincke, 2022 ) for wheat was used to refine the risk assessment but still resulted in an exceedance.…”

“…For relevant active substances, RPCs and processing techniques, available PFs were extracted from the European database on PFs, which is the most recent and the most comprehensive compilation of PFs currently available at EU level (Zincke, 2022 ). Only the PFs indicated as reliable or indicative, were extracted.…”

“…The limit of 300 survey participants for performing probabilistic exposure assessment has been derived based on experience gained so far. However, EFSA intends to initiate a research project that will derive more accurate criteria. For relevant active substances, RPCs and processing techniques, available PFs were extracted from the European database on PFs, which is the most recent and the most comprehensive compilation of PFs currently available at EU level (Zincke, 2022). Only the PFs indicated as reliable or indicative, were extracted.…”

“…), PFs were used in the estimation of the exposure for specific pesticide/crop combinations when available. The source to retrieve PF was the EU PF database (Zincke, 2022 ). In the absence of PFs, it is assumed that the residues on the raw commodity are entirely transferred to the product as consumed.…”

Second update of the EU database of processing factors for pesticide residues

“…This project resulted in the delivery of the first EU database of processing factors in 2018 (Scholz et al, 2018a, b). In a subsequent project (Zincke et al, 2022b), the database has been updated incorporating all processing studies included in BfR's data collection on processing factors and any additional processing study that was evaluated by EFSA until December 2021. Version 2 of the database was published in September 2022 (Zincke et al, 2022a).…”