Food and Health E-ssentials

EU Reduces MRL for Diflubenzuron in Certain Fishes 

The Commission of the European Union has significantly reduced the maximum residue limit (MRL) for diflubenzuron in certain fish species.

Published in the Official Journal of the European Union in November, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1881 modifies Table 1 in the Annex of Commission Regulation (EU) No 37/2010, which sets out MRLs for pharmacologically active substances in foodstuffs of animal origin. Specifically, the Implementing Regulation reduces the MRL for diflubenzuron in the muscle and skin of salmonidae from 1000 µg/kg to 10 µg/kg.

Salmonidae is a term generally applied to soft-finned fishes, including salmon, trout, char and whitefish.  

The Commission’s decision to significantly reduce the MRL for diflubenzuron was based on a recommendation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and an opinion issued by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary (CVMP), both of which affirmed that a genotoxic metabolite of the chemical could be hazardous to human health.

The new MRL for diflubenzuron applies from 10 January 2020.

The complete text of the EU Commission’s Implementing Regulation regarding diflubenzuron as published in the Official Journal is available here.