{"id":8297,"date":"2019-03-04T11:51:08","date_gmt":"2019-03-04T10:51:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.phytocontrol.com\/?p=8297"},"modified":"2026-08-28T01:48:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T23:48:03","slug":"evaluation-of-ppp-residues-on-bees-and-beehive-products","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.phytocontrol.com\/en\/regulatory-watch\/evaluation-of-ppp-residues-on-bees-and-beehive-products\/","title":{"rendered":"Assessment of PPP residues in bees and bee products"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new technical guide: SANTE\/11956\/2016 rev 9<\/a>, enabling pesticide residue levels to be determined and maximum residue levels to be set in honey, will be applicable from 1 January 2020.<\/p>\n

It will therefore apply to all reviews and all applications submitted by an applicant to a Member State from that date onwards.<\/p>\n

This document was approved by the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed at its meeting on 18 and 19 September 2018.<\/p>\n

Honey is a food that may contain residues of plant protection products (PPPs) due to bees’ exposure during nectar and pollen collection. Safe maximum residue levels (MRLs) for consumers must therefore be established.<\/p>\n

Until now, no methodology for setting MRLs in honey had been established. As a result, MRLs for honey are set at the detection threshold of 0.05 mg\/kg.<\/p>\n

Under Regulation (EU) No 283\/2013 establishing data requirements for active substances, a study of residue concentration in pollen and beekeeping products must be carried out.<\/p>\n

This guide is therefore intended to provide additional technical information and the data needed to establish MRLs in honey. As consumption of pollen, royal jelly, propolis and beeswax is negligible, it is not necessary to generate experimental residue data for these products.<\/p>\n

As with other food products, a residue definition must be established for honey.<\/p>\n

This must take into account compounds that are toxicologically relevant and result from the use of pesticides on crops foraged by bees.<\/p>\n

This residue definition may include:<\/p>\n

– The parent substance and metabolite(s) included in the residue definition for primary crops<\/p>\n

– Degradation products formed during the pasteurisation process<\/p>\n

– Metabolites included in the residue definition from the risk assessment for rotational crops and\/or a compound remaining in the soil after application of the active substance.<\/p>\n

The guide sets out a decision tree in ANNEX I for establishing the MRL for honey.<\/p>\n

Below is an outline of this decision tree:<\/p>\n

1) Are pesticide residues likely to be detected in honey?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n