EFSA: cycloxydim after the MRL review — escaroles, cresses and land cresses need 1.5 mg/kg instead of 1 mg/kg, 1.5 instead of 2 mg/kg is enough for lamb’s lettuce, and for herbal infusions from roots there is still no analytical method, so 0.1* mg/kg is proposed
On 6 November 2026 EFSA published its assessment of the confirmatory data for the herbicide cycloxydim that were missing after the 2020 review of maximum residue levels (MRLs). New residue trials confirm or change the tentative MRLs for spring onions and leafy salads, while for herbal infusions from roots the applicant submitted no analytical method.
- The EFSA opinion (adopted on 13 October 2026) concerns the data identified as missing in the 2020 review of cycloxydim MRLs under Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005; the tentative MRLs were introduced by Regulation (EU) 2023/173 with footnotes on the required data and a deadline of 27 January 2025. The application was submitted by BASF SE and assessed by the Netherlands as rapporteur Member State.
- Results by commodity: spring onions and Welsh onions — tentative MRL of 0.3 mg/kg confirmed; lamb’s lettuce — 1.5 mg/kg is sufficient instead of 2 mg/kg; escaroles (broad-leaved endives), cresses and other sprouts and shoots, and land cresses — 1.5 mg/kg is needed instead of 1 mg/kg for the southern European uses. For “other lettuce and other salad plants” (currently 1 mg/kg) EFSA notes that risk managers might consider aligning the MRL at 1.5 mg/kg.
- Residue definition for enforcement: cycloxydim including degradation and reaction products which can be determined as 3-(3-thianyl)glutaric acid S-dioxide (BH 517-TGSO2) and/or 3-hydroxy-3-(3-thianyl)glutaric acid S-dioxide (BH 517-5-OH-TGSO2) or derivatives thereof, calculated in total as cycloxydim. Regulation (EU) 2023/173 replaced the words “methyl esters” with “derivatives” — according to EFSA a terminological change without practical effect.
- Samples from the new field trials were analysed by LC-MS/MS, which determines cycloxydim and its products as a common moiety (M517H001 or M517H002) with a combined limit of quantification of 0.12 mg/kg (0.062 and 0.058 mg/kg expressed as parent equivalent). Extraction efficiency was demonstrated for high-water-content commodities according to guidance SANTE 2017/10632, and the storage stability of residues in frozen samples for 24 months (samples were stored for up to 132 days for spring onions and up to 525 days for lettuce).
- For herbal infusions from roots (dried roots are a “difficult” matrix under the guidelines) the applicant submitted no analytical method for enforcement, so the tentative MRL of 9 mg/kg cannot be confirmed — EFSA proposes lowering it to the default limit of quantification of 0.1* mg/kg. It also points out that the footnote in Regulation (EU) 2025/581 for roots, valerian and ginseng mistakenly refers to missing residue trials instead of a missing analytical method.
- Consumer exposure assessment (PRIMo model 3.1; ADI 0.07 mg/kg body weight per day, ARfD 2 mg/kg body weight): highest short-term exposure 1.8% of the ARfD (escaroles, children’s diet), long-term up to 80% of the ADI (GEMS/Food G11 diet, mainly soybeans — 69%), contribution of the assessed commodities at most 0.08% of the ADI. EFSA sees no risk; the decision to change the MRLs lies with the risk managers.