EFSA publishes risk report on pesticides

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published the results of its two pilot assessments on the risks posed to humans by residues of multiple pesticides in food.

The assessments—one considering chronic effects on the thyroid system and the other acute effects on the nervous system—are the culmination of a multi-year collaboration between the EFSA and the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).

The documents were finalized following a two-month consultation period during which EFSA received valuable feedback from a variety of stakeholders, including national institutions, academia, non-governmental organizations, and commercial associations. A meeting was also held with stakeholders in Brussels to help clarify the methodology and explain the results of the work.

The overall conclusion for both assessments is that consumer risk from cumulative dietary exposure is, with varying degrees of certainty, below the threshold that triggers regulatory action for all the population groups covered.

Assessments covering the effects of pesticides on other organs and body functions will follow in the coming years. EFSA is currently defining a comprehensive implementation plan with the European Commission.