Mancozeb: health regulations, food safety control and prevention of technical barriers to trade
Authors: Serheiev Serhiy , Kolontaieva Nataliia , Grynko Alla , Pavlenko Iryna , Lyshavskyi Vytalii 
Published: January 2025

Introduction. Mancozeb is a widely used synthetic fungicide from the group of dithiocarbamates. Numerous mancozeb preparations are used to protect many agricultural crops and obtain a significant number of products from them for consumption in Ukraine, as well as for export to other countries of the world. In accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009, a decision was made concerning the «approval of the active substance mancozeb is not renewed». Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the parameters of the permissible exposure of mancozeb residues to its limit of quantification (LOQ), which is 0.01 mg/kg, and food products with higher levels of this substance have become non-compliant and, starting from January 2022, cannot be placed on the EU market.
Purpose. To determine the limits of controlled values of mancozeb content in agricultural products of plant origin in accordance with EU requirements, considering the parameters of permissible exposure on human health and control over the use of mancozeb for plant protection in Ukraine.
Materials and Methods. Preparations with the active substance (a.s.) mancozeb (from 302 to 800 g a.s./kg) in the form of wettable powder (WP) or water-soluble granules (WG) were used during state trials in Ukraine on grapes, potatoes, and tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, sugar beets and grain bread crops with the general rates of mancozeb consumption from 2.4 to 14.4 kg per year/ha. The content dynamics of residual amounts of mancozeb and its metabolite – ethylenethiourea (ETU) were studied by the methods of vapor phase gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Evaluation of results and medical-sanitary standardization of mancozeb and ETU residues were performed in accordance with national and international documents.
Results. Within the established waiting periods before harvesting of agricultural products the residual amounts of mancozeb/ETU were less than the LOQs of 0.05/0.005-0.05 mg/kg, respectively. The LOQs of mancozeb according to the official methods in force in Ukraine corresponded to the LOQs of the methods used in the EU until January 2022, but do not ensure control of mancozeb at the level of 0.01 mg/kg in accordance with the current requirements for placing products on the EU market, except for SSTU (State Standards of Ukraine) EN 12396-2:2003. The parameters of acceptable exposure to mancozeb and its metabolite ETU in Ukraine provided for a higher level of human health protection than the regulations adopted in the EU until January 2022.
Conclusions. Adherence to the researched and approved application rates and waiting periods before harvesting in Ukraine ensures the absence of residual mancozeb amounts and ETU in plant origin agricultural products at the level of the LOQ and its compliance with the national parameters of permissible exposure on human health. If the EU requirements for the content of mancozeb in food products do not exceed the proposed LOQ of 0.01 mg/kg, domestic agricultural products of plant origin can be placed on the EU market. To prevent the appearance of technical barriers related to the reduction of LOQs of active substances of plant protection products (PPPs) in food raw materials and food products, residues determination methods should provide for LOQs of controlled substances not exceeding 0.01 mg/kg.
Keywords: mancozeb, agricultural products, limit of quantification of residues, food safety, technical barriers.