8 key points of CTIFL’s pesticide residue analysis
Notice to all players in the fruit and vegetable sector, a summary note "ANALYSIS OF PESTICIDE RESIDUES" was published in July 2020 by the CTIFL (Interprofessional Technical Center for Fruit and Vegetables). Intended for experts in charge of carrying out and interpreting analyses (quality managers, agricultural technicians, producers, etc.), this complete summary recalls the regulatory fundamentals, details the basic concepts of toxicology, helps in understanding the results and advises on the choice of analysis laboratory for the development of a control plan. The Phytocontrol laboratory responds to all the recommendations of this complete CTIFL note and goes further by accompanying you step by step in your control plan.
At Phytocontrol, we have paid attention to these 30 pages of report helping in the choice of the laboratory that can analyze pesticide residues: accreditations, reliability, regulations, reactivity, proximity, logistics, expertise, personalized accompaniment... We have extracted for you, below, some essential passages of this note by adding services that Phytocontrol offers:
- The report specifies the recommendations to choose a laboratory for pesticide residue analysis. "The selected laboratories must be accredited. COFRAC guarantees their technical competence and impartiality on specific control operations to measure a characteristic or to evaluate a given criterion, based on the accreditation standard NF EN ISO/IEC 17025. ...] it is important to check in the specifications that the laboratory is indeed accredited for this active substance. It is important that the analysis takes into account the official definition of the residue for the substance under consideration. »
Accredited according to the NF EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard, the Phytocontrol laboratory guarantees an analysis report within 24 hours for urgent samples or 48 to 72 hours for routine samples and offers one of the most exhaustive screenings on the market with more than 650 molecules and metabolites, most of which are accredited and meet the regulatory residue definitions.
- The report highlights the MRLs, "all issues related to pesticide residues in food are governed by Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. It is important to underline that in Europe, maximum residue limits on food have been harmonized since 2008. "The MRLs are constantly evolving and on average about ten texts amending Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 are published each year. Our regulatory monitoring unit offers 360° support and all customers have access to personalized monitoring in their dedicated area and customized follow-up: personalized daily monitoring, edition of the latest regulatory texts in the dedicated customer area. When publishing text modifications related to MRLs, the service synthesizes and sends the information to the sales departments, which re-distribute it to customers. Daily the regulatory changes and news proposed by the laboratory are available on the Phytocontrol website. Finally, and not to miss anything, a summary of the news is sent to all customers and prospects: Agrifood monthly and Waters quarterly.
- The report evokes the importance of the conclusions, "it is important that the laboratory concludes on the conformity of the analyzed batch with regard to the regulations: conformity on the MRL, consumer risk in relation to the ARfD and conformity in the case of F&L of French origin in relation to the authorizations of the molecule on the territory (conformity of agricultural practices). »
Our analysis reports are rendered with a conclusion on the conformity of the analyzed product and the registrations (conformity of agricultural practices) according to the country of origin. In addition, we have created specific appendices to calculate the toxicological risk (ARfD appendix) and to accompany the specifications of certain quality procedures.
- Accompaniment is recommended, "In addition to the price, during the tender or laboratory research, it is important to ask and compare response times which may differ from one laboratory to another. The ease of discussion or technical contact in case of after-sales service should also be considered. » If you need technical and/or regulatory advice, or assistance in interpreting analysis reports, our Customer, Regulatory and other services ensure a quick return within 24 to 48 hours maximum!
- The report insists on the consistency of EU countries, "In the case of F&L coming from the EU (other than France), the French operator will have to check that the active substances are approved by the EU (by going to the DG Sanco Pesticide Database site) and that the harmonized MRLs are respected. The use of a plant protection product that is not authorized in France (no MA) but is authorized in its country of origin, is indeed possible if the MRL of the substance is respected. » The regulatory department of the laboratory works daily, in addition to the Pesticide Database of DG Sanco, with an international database for the search of MRLs and use authorizations in EU and non-EU countries.
- Beyond the laboratory, the report tells us about additional services, "The way samples are collected or collected can influence the price. In general, three solutions are proposed: sampling and direct shipment of the sample by the company; sampling by the company and collection by the laboratory or finally, the simplest solution: sampling and transport of the sample by the laboratory. "Phytocontrol Group has a team of dedicated technicians/collectors in each region governed by the logistic service and a scheduler whose mission is to make the collections at our customers' sites more fluid on a daily basis.
- Tailor-made support, " For example, the "Vergers Eco Responsables" approach managed by the National Association for Apples and Pears and the PDO peaches and apricots of France or the PDO tomatoes and cucumbers of France require strict rules for the use of phytosanitary products. They follow databases on the results of residue analyses carried out by professionals for more than 10 years. »
The laboratory's R&D teams have developed, in collaboration with associations and various clusters, specific screenings for apples and pears (ANPP), peaches and apricots (PDO peach apricots), strawberries (PDO strawberries from France)...
- In the coherence of the skills of the laboratory, Phytocontrol has developed 5 years ago a training center and provides training on the regulatory environment of phytosanitary products as well as on contaminants in human or animal food. Our experts provide a tailor-made support from the internal training to the control plan through a personalized follow-up of the management of the business continuity plan. Do not hesitate to consult our training catalog and if you do not find what you need, you can ask us for a personalized training.
Need technical, regulatory and pricing information? Our customer service is available from 8am to 8pm from Monday to Friday at +44 (0) 2037 430 973 or service-clients@phytocontrol.com
And to not miss anything of the Phytocontrol news, join us on our LinkedIn and Facebook page!
