Freshinfo, 8 March 2007
Bayer suspends products
Bayer CropScience has suspended the sale, supply and use of all its tolylfluanid containing products, Elvaron Multi and Talat, in the UK as a precautionary measure
Tolyfluanid is used in the UK and Ireland mainly on soft and top fruit for the control of fungal diseases.
The firm took the decision following recent work conducted in collaboration with some German water companies. Recent studies have shown that Dimethylsulfamide (DMSA), a decomposition product of tolyfluanid, can be found in untreated water.
While scientific information states that both tolyfluanid and DMSA are considered to be safe, studies have shown that when DMSA is exposed to ozone during water treatment it may, under certain conditions, form a nitrosamine. This possibility led to German authorities suspending the approval for field uses of tolyfluanid.
PSD has issued a temporary suspension for the approvals, but this does not affect storage of the products, only their sale, supply and use. Products can therefore still be safely stored on farm.
There is also no issue with any produce that has been treated with tolyfluanid, such as apples in storage, which can continue to be traded and consumed.