Key facts
- A new study suggests the EU-approved fungicide fluazinam may negatively impact brain development in rat offspring.
- The study found statistically significant impacts on brain development, including decreases in brain weight and width.
- Researchers claim the original 2005 study, used in the EU's 2008 approval, had flawed conclusions and methodology.
- Campaigners and experts are calling for fluazinam's withdrawal from the market and an investigation into its approval process.
- EU regulators are reviewing the new findings, with conclusions expected by the first quarter of 2027.
A new study by Stockholm University researchers has raised significant concerns about the safety of fluazinam, a fungicide approved for use in the European Union since 2008. The study, which re-analyzed data from a 2005 study conducted by Huntingdon Life Sciences on behalf of manufacturer ISK, found statistically significant negative impacts on the brain development of rat offspring, including decreases in brain weight and width.
Campaigners and some experts argue that the original 2005 study's conclusions were flawed and that fluazinam should not have been approved. They contend that failing to report such findings constitutes a breach of EU pesticide regulations and scientific integrity, demanding an urgent investigation and the immediate withdrawal of the fungicide from the market. Fluazinam is used to control fungal pathogens in potatoes and apples, with 340 tonnes sold in Germany alone in 2024.
The authors of the new study state that it is impossible to establish a safe level of exposure for fluazinam given its potential effects on brain development. They also noted that the original 2005 study's conclusions were unreasonable and not supported by the raw data when using the specified methods. The fungicide is currently undergoing re-approval in the EU and remains approved in the UK until 2029.
In response, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has requested the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) to review the statistical analysis and underlying data for fluazinam's approval. AGES will conduct further assessments, with conclusions on the safety of fluazinam expected by the first quarter of 2027. ISK, the manufacturer, stated they are aware of the claims but cannot comment further without receiving the underlying analysis.