The Directorate General for Food (DGAL), part of France’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, announced its 2025 monitoring plan for pesticide residues in food on December 27, 2024. This comprehensive plan will test 68,636 food products, focusing on foodstuffs of plant origin and infant food across all French regions, including overseas territories.
Key Testing Areas:
- Primary Focus: Fruits and vegetables, along with 10 infant food products.
- Substances and Foodstuffs Tested Outside the European Plan:
- Maleic hydrazide on potatoes.
- Ethephon on fresh mangoes.
- Fosetyl on organic fruits and vegetables.
- Frozen non-composite products: chlorate detection.
- Glyphosate on rice (systematic testing).
- Mercury on wild mushrooms and aromatic herbs (50% of samples).
Impact on the Food Industry:
The DGAL’s intensified monitoring introduces stricter compliance requirements, particularly for producers and suppliers in the fruit, vegetable, and infant food sectors. Highlighted substances like glyphosate, maleic hydrazide, and mercury face targeted scrutiny, increasing the risk of non-compliance for businesses exporting or selling to the French market.
What’s Next for Businesses?
To align with the DGAL’s 2025 monitoring plan:
- Review Pesticide Use: Prioritize internal audits and testing for the specified substances, especially those highlighted in the plan.
- Enhance Compliance: Adjust farming practices, pesticide application, and supply chain controls to ensure all products meet French regulatory standards.
- Proactive Testing: Conduct regular checks on products like rice, potatoes, mangoes, organic fruits and vegetables, and wild mushrooms to avoid penalties and maintain market access.
This updated monitoring plan underscores France’s commitment to food safety and sustainability, placing greater responsibility on businesses to ensure their products are pesticide-residue compliant.
