European Food Research Articles

Ultrahigh-Performance Supercritical Fluid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry in the Clinical Lipidomic Analysis.

Ultrahigh-performance supercritical fluid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPSFC/MS) method is optimized for the high-throughput quantitation of lipids in human serum and plasma with an emphasis on robustness and accurate quantitation. Bridged ethylene hybrid (BEH) silica column (100×3mm; 1.7μm) is used for the separation of 17 nonpolar and polar lipid classes in 4.4min using the positive ion electrospray ionization mode. The lipid class separation approach in UHPSFC/MS results in the coelution of all lipid species within one lipid class in one chromatographic peak, including two exogenous internal standards (IS) per lipid class, which provides the optimal conditions for robust quantitation. The method was validated according to European Medicines Agency and Food and Drug Administration recommendations. UHPSFC/MS combined with LipidQuant software allows a semiautomated process to determine lipid concentrations with a total run time of only 8min including column equilibration, which enables the analysis of 160 samples per day.

Environmental impact of dietary patterns in 10 European countries; a cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative dietary surveys.

Changing dietary patterns is essential to reducing the substantial environment impact of agriculture and food production systems. We performed a cross-country comparison of dietary patterns and their associated environmental impact in Europe, including by sociodemographic factors. We analyzed pooled cross-sectional dietary records collected during 2010-18 from 10 European countries using the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Comprehensive European Food Database (16 508 adults; aged 18-79 years). Each food consumed was mapped to the corresponding environmental impact data using the SHARP Indicators Database, which provides greenhouse gas emission (GHGE) and land use (LU) values of approximately 900 foods. Total diet-associated environmental impact was calculated for each person and averaged across multiple days. Multivariable linear regression models were used to compare diet-associated GHGE and LU between population subgroups (gender, age, education and diet type) with country-level fixed effects. The mean dietary GHGE and LU per capita ranged from 4.0 kgCO2/day and 5.0 m2*year/day in Spain to 6.5 kgCO2eq/day and 8.2 m2*year/day in France. Diet-related GHGE and LU (per kg/food) were lower among females (2.6 kgCO2eq/day, B = -0.08, P < 0.01; 3.2 m2*year/day, B = -0.11, P < 0.01), older population aged 66-79 (2.6 kgCO2eq/day, B = -0.03, P < 0.01; 3.4 m2*year/day, B = -0.4, P < 0.01), people following vegetarian diets (1.7 kgCO2eq/day, B = -0.07, P < 0.01; 2.0 m2*year/day, B = -0.07, P < 0.01), and higher among individuals with secondary education (2.7 kgCO2eq/day, B = 0.05, P < 0.01; 3.6 m2*year/day, B = -0.05, P < 0.01). Environmental footprints vary substantially across countries, dietary patterns and between different sociodemographic groups in Europe. These findings are crucial for the development of country-specific food policies aimed at promoting environmentally sustainable diets.

Crisis preparedness exercise on food and feed safety for IPA beneficiaries 2024.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) within the framework of the Preparatory measures for the participation of IPA beneficiaries in the European Food Safety Authority 2023-2026 will organize a total of 3 crisis preparedness training events for the IPA countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo,* Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye). For 2024, EFSA requested to organise a simulation exercise focused on a multi-country incident related to biological risks in products of animal origin. The overall objectives of the training were: 1) to increase IPA countries' knowledge and understanding of crisis handling concepts and of EFSA's crisis handling procedures; 2) to improve preparedness and response planning for crisis situations in the domain of biological hazards; 3) to improve coherence, interoperability and coordination, to be prepared for communication and decision-making challenges in crisis situations. Working with the contractor Opera srl, EFSA organised a 2-day training on 26-27 June 2024 in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), attended by 24 participants (3 online) from 7 IPA countries, 2 representatives from EFSA and 1 representative from the hosting competent authority from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Participants were briefed on the IPA crisis preparedness training scheme, EFSA's crisis handling procedures, principles of crisis communication (remote mode), EFSA - ECDC Rapid Outbreak Assessment (remote mode), food safety risk assessment structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. Most of the workshop was dedicated to the simulation exercise, that was organized in a tabletop format, with injects describing an evolving food safety incident and a debriefing after each inject. During the exercise, 1 audio-conference meeting and a TV debate were simulated. The exercise was concluded with a brainstorming session between the tutors and participants. Three recommendations were done to improve the organization of future events. Six recommendations were given for the improvement of risk assessment, risk management and risk communication in IPA countries. The objectives were achieved, based on the results of the knowledge test and on the feedback provided by participants in the course evaluation questionnaire.

Exposure to Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A From the Consumption of Selected Staples and Fresh Cow Milk in the Wet and Dry Seasons in Ghana.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, the heavy reliance on mycotoxin-susceptible staple foods means that populations in the region are particularly vulnerable to chronic mycotoxin exposure. This study assessed the exposure risk to ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxins (AFs) from 18 samples of selected staple foods (maize, millet, groundnut) and 56 fresh cow milk samples collected from across Ghana. The foods were sampled simultaneously to maximise comparability, and at two timepoints in March/April (during the dry season) and July/August (during the rainy season) to assess the effects of duration of storage and seasonal conditions on the mycotoxin levels as measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. The margin of exposure (MOE) approach was used to assess the exposure risk from consumption of the sampled foods. Each of the sampled staples was contaminated with OTA (0.19-3.11 ng/g) and at least one AF (0.75-13.05 ng/g B1, ND-12.12 ng/g B2, 0.1-9.95 ng/g G1, ND-16.78 ng/g G2). Up to 67% had contamination above European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) maximum limits, and 50% were above Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) limits. The fresh cow milk samples were contaminated with AFM1 in the range of 0.05-1.49 ng/g, with 95% above EFSA limits and 36% above GSA limits. Aflatoxin contamination in the staples was high, particularly in July/August when the wet conditions may have adversely impacted the handling and storage of farm produce. Variation in AFM1 between the two sampling periods mirrored total aflatoxin in the staples, suggesting that even if dairy cattle were grazing in open pasture and not being rationed on stored feed, then there was a high environmental presence of aflatoxigenic fungi. The MOE estimates were ≤ 533.09, far below the safe cut-off of 10,000 for suspected carcinogenic compounds. The high mycotoxin levels indicate a priority risk to child nutrition which relies heavily on cereal mixes based on one or all the three sampled staples. The data from this study underscore the urgent need for interventions to better appreciate and address mycotoxin exposure for enhanced food security and public health in Ghana and across sub-Saharan Africa.

Tannic acid-loaded halloysite clay grafted with silver nanoparticles improved the mechanical, antimicrobial, and degradation properties of linear low-density polyethylene films

Synthetic polymers used for food packaging contribute to plastic pollution due to poor degradability. While they prevent the entry of microorganisms, they may not protect against spoilage microorganisms in the packed food. Nanofillers have been used to improve such properties, but end-of-life degradation remains an issue, making plastic a persistent pollutant. Here, we tested a nanocomposite (Nc) of tannic acid-loaded halloysite nanotubes grafted with silver nanoparticles as a reinforcement to enhance the mechanical, antimicrobial, and degradation properties of Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) films. LLDPE films incorporated with Nc significantly improved tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EB), and oxygen permeability rate. Nc incorporated (at 5%-and 10%) LLDPE films exhibited a 1.89–2.85 log10 reduction in multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus 1158c in chicken fillets. Both film types demonstrated silver migration below the European Food Safety Authority-mandated acceptable limit. Nc/LLDPE films disintegrated faster when exposed to incandescent light for 6 h, evidenced by significant reduction of weight, TS, and EB. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggested oxidative degradation and breakdown of the polymer. Conclusively, Nc improved the functional properties and degradation rate of LLDPE films when exposed to light, showing potential for enhancing the sustainability of synthetic polymers.

Updates to the wild bird abundance and movement models for the early warning system for avian influenza in the EU

Abstract Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses pose a significant threat to both poultry and wild bird populations. Migratory wild birds play a key role in the intercontinental spread of avian influenza (AI), introducing the virus into poultry populations. In response to frequent AI outbreaks in Europe, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), at the request of the European Commission (EC), produces quarterly and annual epidemiological reports to monitor and analyse AI trends. A key component of this surveillance includes the integration of outbreak data from Member States and contributions from non‐governmental ornithological organisations like the European Bird Census Council (EBCC) and the European Union for Bird Ringing (EURING) together in a predictive spatio‐temporal risk assessment model. Previous data integration and modelling efforts led to the development of an early warning system for predicting HPAI outbreaks accessible through a publicly available online user interface: the Bird Flu Radar. This report presents an improvement of the system by expanding the species coverage and refining the existing base models behind the epidemiological model. Specifically, this report details the exploration to incorporate 12 additional wild bird species into the models, and the changes made to the base models predicting the distribution and movements of wild birds. We demonstrate the improvements respecting the existing base models while at the same time enhancing the effectiveness in predicting HPAI outbreaks and possibly mitigating negative effects in Europe by providing more accurate predictions to different stakeholders.

Toxicity prediction based on PAHs in fruits and vegetables − A machine learning approach

This study analyses the toxicity levels of fruits and vegetables by identifying the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), particularly in areas affected by industrial and vehicle pollution. The presence of PAHs on plant surfaces, caused mostly by air pollution particulate matter, raises serious concerns about the nutritional value of these foods. Traditional techniques for measuring PAH levels include Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Although successful, these procedures are expensive and time-consuming. Toxicity detection is often based on expert knowledge or experimental analysis relative to the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) limits. In response to these challenges, this work uses artificial intelligence approaches to determine toxicity levels using 16 PAHs. Data on PAH concentrations in fruits and vegetables were collected from a variety of sources, classified as safe or harmful, and verified using statistical analysis. The validated dataset was subsequently classified using several machine learning techniques. The level of toxicity is scaled and compared to the expected outputs using the results obtained from the neural network. An experimental investigation validates the promising findings of level of toxicity classification using artificial intelligence approaches, which are then evaluated statistically. The study shows that machine learning algorithms obtained classification accuracies of over 90 %, including the evaluation of harmfulness. The accuracy for the two-class (Safe and Unsafe) category was 98.27 %, while the accuracy for the four-class (No harm, Low harm, Moderate Harm, and Severe harm) category was 98.68 %. These findings highlight the potential of artificial intelligence in improving food safety and public health by presenting an innovative multidisciplinary method to assessing the impacts of environmental pollutants on the edibility of fruits and vegetables in the context of climate change.

Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance elemental iron.

The conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authority of the rapporteur Member State Austria for the pesticide active substance elemental iron and the considerations as regards the inclusion of the substance in Annex IV of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 are reported. The context of the peer review was that required by Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative uses of elemental iron in field and greenhouses (permanent and non-permanent structures) via granule application by spreading on all edible and non-edible crops, ornamental plants and amenity grassland to control molluscs. The reliable endpoints, appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment, are presented. Missing information identified as being required by the regulatory framework is listed.

Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance bixlozone.

The conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authority of the rapporteur Member State, The Netherlands for the pesticide active substance bixlozone are reported. The context of the peer review was that required by Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative uses of bixlozone as an herbicide on winter cereals (wheat and barley), winter oilseed rape and maize via soil broadcast spray application in field. The reliable endpoints, appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment are presented. Missing information identified as being required by the regulatory framework is listed. Concerns are identified.

Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance pirimicarb.

The conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authorities of the rapporteur Member State Sweden for the pesticide active substance pirimicarb are reported. The context of the peer review was that required by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 844/2012, as amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2018/1659. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative use(s) of pirimicarb as an insecticide on winter and spring wheat and sugar beet via foliar spray application and on ornamental pot plants in permanent greenhouses. The reliable end points, appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment are presented. Missing information identified as being required by the regulatory framework is listed. Concerns are identified.

Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance pyrimethanil.

The conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authorities of the rapporteur Member State Czech Republic and co-rapporteur Member State Austria for the pesticide active substance pyrimethanil and of confirmatory data following the maximum residue limit (MRL) review under Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 are reported. The context of the peer review was that required by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 844/2012, as amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2018/1659. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative uses of pyrimethanil as a fungicide on grapevine and pome fruit (field uses), strawberry and lettuce (field and greenhouse uses). The reliable end points, appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment are presented. Missing information identified as being required by the regulatory framework is listed. Concerns are identified.

Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance penoxsulam

Abstract The conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authorities of the rapporteur Member State, Italy, and co‐rapporteur Member State, Poland, for the pesticide active substance penoxsulam are reported. The context of the peer review was that required by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 844/2012, as amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2018/1659. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative uses of penoxsulam as a herbicide on rice and chicory. The reliable end points, appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment, are presented. Missing information identified as being required by the regulatory framework is listed. Concerns are reported where identified.

Modification of the existing maximum residue levels for dichlorprop-P in cereal grains.

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicant Nufarm Crop Products UK Ltd. submitted a request to the competent national authority in Italy to modify the existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) for the active substance dichlorprop-P in barley, oat, rye and wheat grain. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive MRL proposals for these cereal grains. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of dichlorprop-P in the commodities under consideration at the validated limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 mg/kg and in animal matrices at the validated LOQ of 0.01 mg/kg. Based on the risk assessment results, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that the short-term and long-term intake of residues resulting from the use of dichlorprop-P-2-ethylhexyl (dichlorprop-P 2-EHE) according to the reported agricultural practices is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health.

Inside out: Exploring edible biocatalytic biosensors for health monitoring

Edible biosensors can measure a wide range of physiological and biochemical parameters, including temperature, pH, gases, gastrointestinal biomarkers, enzymes, hormones, glucose, and drug levels, providing real-time data. Edible biocatalytic biosensors represent a new frontier within healthcare technology available for remote medical diagnosis. The main challenges to develop edible biosensors are: i) finding edible materials (i.e. redox mediators, conductive materials, binders and biorecognition elements such as enzymes) complying with Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and European Medicines Agency (EMEA) regulations; ii) developing bioelectronics able to operate in extreme working conditions such as low pH (∼pH 1.5 gastric fluids etc.), body temperature (between 37 °C and 40 °C) and highly viscous bodily fluids that may cause surface biofouling issues. Nowadays, advanced printing techniques can revolutionize the design and manufacturing of edible biocatalytic biosensors.This review outlines recent research on biomaterials suitable for creating edible biocatalytic biosensors, focusing on their electrochemical properties such as electrical conductivity and redox potential. It also examines biomaterials as substrates for printing and discusses various printing methods, highlighting challenges and perspectives for edible biocatalytic biosensors.

Synthetic Microplastics in UK tap and bottled water; Implications for human exposure

There is increasing concern for public health over inadvertent human exposure to MPs due to potential adverse health effects linked to MPs polymeric composition, toxic chemical additives, and/or harmful microorganisms adsorbing onto their surfaces. While numerous studies have reported MPs occurrence and risk in the freshwater aquatic environment and drinking water sources (e.g., rivers, lakes, and reservoirs), the current state-of-knowledge on MPs pollution in drinking water (i.e., tap water and bottled water) remains limited at a global level. This paper provides the first comprehensive study of the occurrence, concentrations, size distribution, shape, and polymer type of MPs in 177 tap water samples from 13 cities in the United Kingdom, as well as 85 samples of bottled water from 17 popular brands, with various packaging materials, on the UK market.MPs were detected in all tap water samples (range 6–100 MP/L) and bottled water samples (range 12–62 MP/L). Average MPs concentration in tap water (40 ± 16 MP/L) was statistically indistinguishable from that in bottled water (37 ± 11 MP/L). However, the average MPs particle size in tap water (32.4 μm) exceeded significantly (p < 0.05) that in bottled water (26.5 μm), indicating the various purification processes applied to bottled water may help remove larger MPs, but raises concern over the potential adverse health effects from exposure to smaller MPs. The most frequently detected polymer types were: polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in tap water, and PE, PP and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in bottled water. A strong correlation was observed (r = 0.68, P = 0.049) between the plastic cap material (PE) and the predominant polymer type in the bottled water. In terms of morphology, fragments and fibres were the most abundant MPs, together constituting 92 % and 96 % of MPs detected in tap and bottled water samples, respectively.Using EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) recommended daily water intakes, the corresponding exposures to MPs in different UK age groups were estimated. On a body weight (BW) basis, infants and toddlers were exposed (4 MP/kg BW/day) at a higher level than adults (1 MP/kg BW/day). This raises concern, given the former's incompletely developed immune/nervous systems rendering them at higher risk of adverse health effects from such exposure.

Integrated modelling of fertilizer and climate change scenario impacts on agricultural production and nitrogen losses in Austria

The European Commission's Farm to Fork strategy aims at reducing nutrient losses and fertilizer use, but has been criticized for its expected negative impacts on European economy, agriculture, and food supply. We apply an integrated modelling framework to analyze potential effects of fertilizer reductions on land use, nitrogen losses, and agricultural output of two fertilizer and four climate change scenarios. The fertilizer scenarios comprise a uniform 20 % reduction of mineral N fertilizer (f20) and a combination of several fertilizer restrictions (fcm). The model results indicate that the restrictions in fertilization lead to decreases in crop production of 6 to 9 %, whereas intensive and extensive grassland production increases. N losses to air, water, and soil are substantially reduced by 9 % (f20) and 20 % (fcm), yet fall short of the intended 50 % reduction. The regional heterogeneity of the model results shows that tailored measures need to be elaborated by taking climate change developments, the regional heterogeneity of prevalent farming systems, and bio-physical conditions into account. Uniform measures applied to the national policy context fall short to attain policy targets cost-effectively. N emission capping, taxes or managerial measures such as crop rotational N balancing are options to be explored in future research.

Unravelling the European food security puzzle: exploring determinants and constructing a comprehensive measure

AbstractThe main objective of the presented paper is to show the current level of food security conditions in Europe and identify its determinants. The paper presents the development of the food security situation in Europe in the period 2001–2020. It shows in detail conditions in the year 2020 which were influenced by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic across the continent. The analysis used the definition of food security and its pillars according to FAO. It used available data from FAOstat for 12 variables in 4 pillars of food security from 2001 to 2020 for 38 European countries to produce composite indicators using Data envelopment analysis. This was used as the dependent variable in panel models with five explanatory factors: added value in agriculture, fishing and forestry, trade openness, gross capital formation, urbanization, and temperature change obtained from the World Bank database. Relationship between variables was estimated using Fixed effects, Random effects, and Pooled mean group model. The analysis found that food security in Europe increased until 2014, then followed a decline which was not compensated until 2020. The weakest regions were identified in the South-eastern and Eastern parts of Europe. The most key factors in the long run were the gross capital formation, added value of agriculture and trade openness. The impact of urbanization and gross capital formation was more important in the short run than in the long run. The effect of temperature change was positive in the short run in most of the analyzed countries, despite its negative long-run influence. The added value of the presented paper in the theoretical field is its methodology, from a practical point of view the paper offers information which could be used in further addressing food security problem solutions.

Longitudinal survey of hepatitis E virus in extensively raised pigs in Spain

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging zoonotic virus of public health concern, of which pigs, wild boar and red deer are the main reservoirs. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has recently prioritized the development of monitoring programs of HEV at different stages of the pig food chain, including outdoor pig farming. Pigs managed under these extensive production systems frequently share habitat and natural resources with wild boar and red deer during fattening stages and cross-species transmission of HEV among these species has previously been suggested. In this context, we aimed to (I) to evaluate the risk of HEV circulation within the production phases of extensively raised pigs and at the domestic-wildlife interface, and (II) to identify the genotypes circulating within these hosts. A total of 1452 pigs from seven different pig farms were longitudinally sampled during the breeding, rearing, and fattening production phases. In addition, 138 and 252 sympatric wild boar and red deer, respectively, were analysed. Anti-HEV antibodies were found in 1245 (85.7 %) out of the 1452 Iberian pigs sampled. The seroprevalence was 30.4 % in the breeding phase, 95.4 % in the rearing phase and 97.0 % in the fattening phase. Statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) were found among the three production phases. The seroprevalence was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in fattening pigs compared to those found in sympatric wild boar (31.9 %) and red deer (2.0 %). Three (1.0 %) out of the 293 serum pools analysed were positive for viral RNA. One of them was identified in pigs at the rearing phase (genotype 3 f) and two in wild boar (genotypes 3 f and 3 m). The high seroprevalence detected in extensively raised pigs, together with the detection of the zoonotic HEV-3 f and HEV-3 m subtypes in sympatric domestic and wild swine, highlights the risk of zoonotic transmission and the need to establish surveillance programs and control measures, particularly in breeding and rearing phase, in these epidemiological scenarios.

Comparing regulatory guidance on risk minimization/mitigation and the Reporting recommendation Intended for pharmaceutical Risk Minimization Evaluation Studies checklist.

The latest country-specific regulatory guidance for assessing effectiveness of risk minimization measures (RMM) strategies was identified across five continents-Africa (Egypt, South Africa), Asia (Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore), Europe (EU-27, United Kingdom), North America (Unites States, Canada) and South America (Brazil)-and compared to the Reporting recommendation Intended for pharmaceutical Risk Minimization Evaluation Studies (RIMES) checklist, developed to assess the quality of effectiveness evaluations and endorsed by the European Network of Centres for Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance (ENCePP). RIMES checklist items address study hypothesis, participants, measures, statistical analysis and results. European Medical Agency (EMA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance only partially aligned with RIMES, primarily for measures and results. In the absence of country-specific guidance, most countries recommended following EMA or FDA guidelines; Japan and South Africa mentioned the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH E2E) guideline; Brazil and China had no guidance/recommendations. Worldwide, there was a lack of RMM-specific guidance and, when guidance existed, they were not harmonized, and alignment with the RIMES checklist was limited.

Monitoring of Non-Maximum-Residue-Level Pesticides in Animal Feed: A Study from 2019 to 2023.

Pesticides play a critical role in modern agriculture by protecting crops and ensuring higher yields, but their widespread use raises concerns about human health and environmental impact. Regulatory agencies impose Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) to ensure safety, and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assesses pesticide risks. This study monitored pesticide residues in 169 feed samples from Piedmont (Italy) collected between 2019 and 2023. Using GC-MS/MS, residues were found in 92% of animal-based and 70% of cereal-based feedstuffs. The most common pesticides in cereal-based feeds were pyrimiphos-methyl, deltamethrin, cypermethrin, azoxystrobin, and tetramethrin, and the pesticide synergist piperonyl-butoxide demonstrated a significant increase in contaminated samples in 2023. The lower concentrations in 2021 were likely due to COVID-19 impacts on pesticide availability. In animal-based feeds, common pesticides included deltamethrin, cypermethrin, and the pesticide synergist piperonyl-butoxide. The results highlight the pervasive presence of low-dose pesticide mixtures in feed and food chains, which could impact health, although do not pose acute risks. The study emphasizes the need for ongoing pesticide monitoring and awareness of the long-term effects of chronic pesticide exposure on animal, human, and environmental health.