Modification of the existing maximum residue levels for acetamiprid in various crops

Scientific support for preparing an EU position in the 55th Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR)

The European Commission asked EFSA to provide support in the framework of Article 43 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 for the preparation of the EU position for 55th Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR). In the current report, EFSA provided comments and recommendations on the Codex maximum residue level (MRL) proposals derived by the Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) that will be discussed in the upcoming CCPR meeting. The current report should serve as the basis for deriving the EU position for the CCPR meeting.

Statement on the toxicological properties and maximum residue levels of acetamiprid and its metabolites

Acetamiprid is a pesticide active substance with insecticidal action whose approval was renewed by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/113. In January 2022, the EFSA PPR Panel published a statement following a request from the European Commission to advise on human health or the environment based on new scientific evidence presented by France during the decision-making phase. In July 2022, by means of a further mandate received from the European Commission, EFSA was requested to provide advice if new information and any other scientific evidence that has become available since the assessment conducted for the renewal in 2018 warrant re-evaluation of (i) toxicological parameters used for the risk assessment of acetamiprid during the renewal process, including toxicological endpoints; (ii) the residue definition for acetamiprid in products of plant origin; and (iii) the safety of existing maximum residue levels (MRLs). Meanwhile, the applicant of acetamiprid in the EU submitted new toxicology studies regarding the toxicological profile of the metabolite IM-2-1. Furthermore, the European Commission was made aware that several recent publications in scientific literature were made available after the literature searches conducted by EFSA. As the new data could affect the advice that EFSA was expected to deliver through the 2022 mandate, EFSA was further requested to consider this information by means of a revised mandate received in September 2023. As regards re-evaluation of point (i) in this statement, this was addressed by an EFSA Working Group integrating all the available evidence. The results of the weight of evidence indicated that there are major uncertainties in the body of evidence for the developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) properties of acetamiprid and further data are therefore needed to come to a more robust mechanistic understanding to enable appropriate hazard and risk assessment. In view of these uncertainties, the EFSA WG proposed to lower the acceptable daily intake (ADI) and acute reference dose (ARfD) from 0.025 to 0.005 mg/kg body weight (per day). A revised residue definition for risk assessment was proposed for leafy and fruit crops as sum of acetamiprid and N-desmethyl-acetamiprid (IM-2-1), expressed as acetamiprid. Regarding pulses/oilseeds, root crops and cereals, the new data received did not indicate a need to modify the existing residue definition for risk assessment, which therefore remains as parent acetamiprid. Regarding the residue definition for enforcement, the available data did not indicate a need to modify the existing definition because acetamiprid is still a sufficient marker of the residues in all crop groups. Considering the new health-based guidance values derived in the present statement, a risk for consumer has been identified for 38 MRLs currently in place in the EU Regulation. Consequently, EFSA recommended to lower the existing MRLs for 38 commodities based on the assessment of fall-back Good Agricultural Practices received within an ad hoc data call. Some fall-back MRLs proposals require further risk management considerations.

The 2021 European Union report on pesticide residues in food

Under European Union legislation (Article 32, Regulation (EC) No 396/2005), EFSA is to provide an annual report assessing the pesticide residue levels in foods on the European market. In 2021, 96.1% of the overall 87,863 samples analysed fell below the maximum residue level (MRL), 3.9% exceeded this level, of which 2.5% were non-compliant, i.e. samples exceeding the MRL after accounting for the measurement uncertainty. For the EU-coordinated multiannual control programme subset, 13,845 samples were analysed of which 2.1% exceeded the MRL and 1.3% were non-compliant. To assess acute and chronic risk to consumer health, dietary exposure to pesticide residues was estimated and compared with available health-based guidance values (HBGVs). A new pilot methodology based on probabilistic assessment was introduced to provide the probability of subjects being expose to an exceedance of the HBGV. Recommendations to risk manager are given to increase the effectiveness of European control systems and to ensure a high level of consumer protection throughout the EU.

Determination of Acetamiprid Residues in Vegetables by Indirect Competitive Chemiluminescence Enzyme Immunoassay

Acetamiprid (ACE) is widely used in various vegetables to control pests, resulting in residues and posing a threat to human health. For the rapid detection of ACE residues in vegetables, an indirect competitive chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay (ic-CLEIA) was established. The optimized experimental parameters were as follows: the concentrations of coating antigen (ACE-BSA) and anti-ACE monoclonal antibody were 0.4 and 0.6 µg/mL, respectively; the pre-incubation time of anti-ACE monoclonal antibody and ACE (sample) solution was 30 min; the dilution ratio of goat anti-mouse-HRP antibody was 1:2500; and the reaction time of chemiluminescence was 20 min. The half-maximum inhibition concentration (IC₅₀), the detection range (IC₁₀–IC₉₀), and the detection limit (LOD, IC₁₀) of the ic-CLEIA were 10.24, 0.70–96.31, and 0.70 ng/mL, respectively. The cross-reactivity rates of four neonicotinoid structural analogues (nitenpyram, thiacloprid, thiamethoxam, and clothianidin) were all less than 10%, showing good specificity. The average recovery rates in Chinese cabbage and cucumber were 82.7–112.2%, with the coefficient of variation (CV) lower than 9.19%, which was highly correlated with the results of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The established ic-CLEIA has the advantages of simple pretreatment and detection process, good sensitivity and accuracy, and can meet the needs of rapid screening of ACE residues in vegetables.

Modification of the existing maximum residue levels for acetamiprid in honey and various oilseed crops

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicant Nufarm Europe Gmbh submitted a request to the competent national authority in Austria to modify the existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) for the active substance acetamiprid in honey, linseeds, poppy seeds, mustard seeds and gold of pleasure seeds. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive MRL proposals for linseeds, poppy seeds, mustard seeds and gold of pleasure seeds. For honey, however, data gaps were identified by EFSA and were not fully addressed by the justification provided by the applicant. Considering the remaining uncertainties, risk managers are given the option to either accept the justification provided and the related uncertainties or to merge the provided data with a data set from a previous application to derive an MRL proposal. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of acetamiprid in plant matrices and in honey at the validated limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 mg/kg. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the short‐term and long‐term intake of residues resulting from the use of acetamiprid according to the reported agricultural practices is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health.

Focussed assessment of certain existing MRLs of concern for acetamiprid and modification of the existing MRLs for table olives, olives for oil production, barley and oats

In compliance with Article 43 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, EFSA received from the European Commission a mandate to provide its reasoned opinion on the existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) for acetamiprid which might lead to consumers intake concerns on the basis of the new toxicological reference values agreed upon by Member States (MSs) in October 2017. In order to identify the MRLs of potential concern that require a more detailed assessment, EFSA performed a preliminary risk assessment, identifying a risk for consumers for 12 commodities. Measures for reduction of the consumer exposure were assessed by EFSA and should be considered by risk managers. Furthermore, in accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, ADAMA Makhteshim Ltd submitted two requests to modify the existing MRL for acetamiprid in table olives, olives for oil production, barley and oats. The data submitted in support of the requests were found to be sufficient to derive MRL proposals for all crops under assessment. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the short‐term and long‐term intake of residues resulting from the use of acetamiprid according to the intended agricultural practices on table olives, olives for oil production, barley and oats is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health.