New safety guidelines should be applied for some of the pesticides used in the European Union to protect consumers, the EU food safety agency said on Friday

MILAN, Italy; March 17 2007.- For…144 substances, the first screening could not exclude a potential consumer risk,” the European Food Safety Authority said after acting on an EU Commission request to analyse 236 ingredient compounds used in pesticides.

EFSA said in documents posted on its website (www.efsa.europa.eu) it had analysed a list of the highest maximum residue levels (MRLs) considered safe and currently applied at national level.

EFSA said 92 of the active substances it had evaluated were unlikely to present a risk to consumers.

The Parma-based agency said the Commission and member states should establish temporary MRLs for the other 144 substances and it was ready to provide further advice to risk managers as the bloc moves to harmonise national pesticide standards.

An EU risk assessment of national MRLs is necessary before they can be included in EU legislation to ensure they do not pose unacceptable risks to consumers across Europe, EFSA said.

(Reuters)

 

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