International Peanut Forum 2023
International Peanut Forum 2023, all segments of the peanut supply chain, including research updates, market trends and new product development will take place in Lisbon, Portugal during April 26-28, 2023.
The International Peanut Forum provides an ideal opportunity to network and conduct business with current and potential customers, as well as a platform to discuss issues and opportunities for the peanut industry with farmers, shellers, exporters, brokers, dealers, manufacturers and service suppliers from around the world.
Food Safety Update: February 2023
EU: Additional Official Controls on Organic Products
Following an in-depth review of all the notifications entered into the Organic Farming Information System (OFIS) over a period of one year, the European Commission decided that a number of products originating in certain third countries should be subjected to additional controls in 2023.
Products of concern:
| Country | Product | CN-code | Sampling percentages |
| Tunisia | dates | 0804 10 00 | 10% |
| Türkiye | hazelnuts | 0802 22 00
2007 99 97 |
10% |
For consignments of products sampled according to the percentages defined above, the control body should take at least one representative sample of the consignment.
EU: Rules on the Temporary Increase of Official Controls
According to the European Commission, recent notifications received through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) indicate the existence of direct or indirect risks to human health. Moreover, official controls performed by the Member States on some food and feed of non-animal origin in the first semester of 2022 indicate that the lists set out in Annexes I and II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793 should be amended.
Measures:
- Delisting from Regulation of groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Argentina.
- Delisting from Regulation of groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Madagascar.
- Removal from Annex I and inclusion in Annex II of groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Bolivia.
- Increase in the frequency of identity and physical checks laid down in Annex I for groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Brazil due to pesticide contamination to 30%.
- Removal from Annex II and inclusion in Annex I of Brazil nuts in shell and mixtures of Brazil nuts or dried fruits containing Brazil nuts in shell from Brazil.
- Increase in the frequency of identity and physical checks laid down in Annex II for dried figs and products derived from dried figs from Türkiye to 30%.
The regulation establishes a transitional period for consignments of groundnuts and products produced from groundnuts from Bolivia. According to a corrigendum published by the European Commission, consignments may enter the EU until April 16, 2023 without being accompanied by the results of sampling and analyses and the official certificate provided for in Articles 10 and 11.
EU: Updates on MRLs
The European Commission has published new maximum residue levels for certain pesticides.
Abamectin (new MRL) and bifenazate (proposed):
| Commodities | MRLs (mg/kg) |
| Tree nuts | 0.01 |
Cyromazine (new MRL):
| Commodities | MRLs (mg/kg) |
| Fruits, fresh or frozen; Tree nuts | 0.01 |
| Peanuts | 0.01 |
Topramezone (new MRL):
| Commodities | MRLs (mg/kg) |
| Fruits, fresh or frozen; Tree nuts | 0.005 |
| Peanuts | 0.005 |
Cyfluthrin (new MRL):
| Commodities | New MRLs (mg/kg) |
| Cranberries | 0.01 |
Metobromuron (new MRL):
| Commodities | New MRLs (mg/kg) |
| Fruits, fresh or frozen; Tree nuts | 0.02 |
Cycloxydim (new MRL):
| Commodities | New MRLs (mg/kg) |
| Tree nuts | 0.09 |
| Peanuts | 0.09 |
EU: EFSA Scientific Opinion on the Tolerable Upper Intake Level for Selenium
The EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level (UL) for selenium. Published on January 20, 2023, the report states that adult consumers are unlikely to exceed the UL, except for regular users of food supplements containing high daily doses of selenium or regular consumers of Brazil nuts. No risk has been reported with the current levels of selenium intake in European countries from food (excluding food supplements) in toddlers and children, and selenium intake arising from the natural content of foods does not raise reasons for concern.
EU: EFSA Commodity Risk Assessment of P. Dulcis Plants from Türkiye
The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as ‘High risk plants, plant products and other objects ‘.
This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by plants of Prunus persica and P. dulcis as budwood/graftwood, rooted or grafted on rootstocks of either P. persica, P. dulcis, P. armeniaca, P. davidiana or their hybrids, imported from Türkiye, taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by Türkiye.
For the selected pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The degree of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with fungi form Botryosphaeriaceae family (L. pseudotheobromae, N. dimidiatum and N. novaehollandiae) being the pests most frequently expected on the imported plants.
USA: Pesticide Tolerances for Fluridone
Effective since January 20, 2023, this regulation by the Environmental Protection Agency establishes tolerances for residues of fluridone in or on multiple commodities, including tree nuts and peanuts.
| Commodity | Parts per million |
| Tree nuts | 0.1 |
| Peanut | 0.1 |
| Peanut, hay | 0.15 |
Objections and requests for hearings must be received on or before March 21, 2023.
Latest Trade News and Agreements: February 2023
Australia-US: New Access for Australian Roasted Macadamia Nuts
Australia can now export roasted macadamia nuts —in their shell or husk— to the United States. The new market access comes after Australia provided scientific evidence that the roasting process removed phytosanitary pest risks. The US Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service subsequently updated their import requirements.
Cambodia: National Policy on Cashew Nuts 2022-2027 Approved
On January 13, 2023, the draft National Policy on Cashew Nuts 2022-2027 was approved by the cabinet ministers in a plenary session.
Main points of the strategy include:
- Vision to develop cashew production, processing and market to be inclusively competitive,
- Ensuring sustainability and economic diversification, through enhancing production output with competitive quality,
- Promoting industrialization to increase the added value of harvesting and processing by 25 percent by 2027 and at least 50 percent by 2032,
- And booting exports via market diversification, export-related cross-sectoral linkages, trade facilitation, cost reduction, and competitive advantage promotion.
France-Spain: Signature of the Treaty of Barcelona
On the occasion of the 27th Franco-Spanish Summit, in Barcelona, on January 19, 2023, France and Spain signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation between both countries. In terms of agricultural cooperation, they agreed to work together to promote agro-ecological transition of food systems, the development of sustainable agriculture, and the protection and promotion of protected geographical indications. It also includes food quality, as well as cooperation in official controls, agri-food laboratories and food fraud. It also aims to collaborate in the areas of animal and plant health and coordinate to promote ambitious food safety standards at European level.
UK-Nigeria: Tariff Reduction on Nigerian Exports
According to Bloomberg, the UK government has cut tariffs and extended duty-free trade in over 3000 goods exported from Nigeria, including certain agricultural commodities. It was announced during the launch of the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) in Lagos.
USA-EU Sign Tariff Rate Quota Agreement
On January 17, the United States and the EU signed the U.S.-EU Tariff Rate Quota Agreement. The agreement, once implemented, will enable the United States to preserve its existing access to the EU market for various agricultural commodities following the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU on January 1, 2021. The Agreement will restore favorable market access for multiple agricultural products, including almonds.
USA: Opportunities for Consumer-Oriented Products in Peru
Circulated on January 18, 2023, this USDA International Agricultural Trade Report analyzes consumption and market trends and economic perspectives for products from the USA in Peru.
As for nuts, the report indicates that:
- Exports of tree nuts to Peru have risen nearly 1,700 percent, eclipsing $9.2 million in 2021. Fresh or dried almonds account for more than half of total value.
- Peruvian importers have a strong preference for the quality and pricing of nuts from the USA instead of competitors for retail sale and as ingredients in confectionery.
- Nuts are also gaining popularity among health-conscious consumers as natural alternatives to processed snacks. As a result, sales are projected to increase 44 percent in the next 5 years.
- USA has the largest market share of tree nuts at 35 percent, ahead of both Brazil (31 percent) and Chile (18 percent).
Sustainability Update: February 2023
Global Circularity Report 2023
Published by Circle Economy in collaboration with Deloitte, and launched during the World Economic Forum on January 16, 2023, the report warns that the global economy is now only 7.2% circular. The report identifies 16 transformational circular solutions across four key systems that center on the principles of use less, use longer, use again, and make clean. In terms of food systems, the report recognizes possible solutions such as:
- Putting healthier, satiating foods first: shifting calories from meat, fish and dairy towards cereals, fruits, vegetables and nuts;
- Go local, seasonal, and organic;
- Mainstream regenerative agriculture and;
- No more avoidable food waste.
Trade and Climate: ‘Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate'
Launched on January 19, 2023, the newly formed Coalition will aim to foster global action to promote trade policies that can help address climate change through local and global initiatives. To date it consists of more than 50 ministers from 27 jurisdictions. It aims to be a forum of high-level political dialogue to foster international cooperation on climate, trade and sustainable development.
World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2023
According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2023, failure to respond to climate change and biodiversity loss are among the top five most severe risks facing the world in the long term. In addition to climate concerns, the top short-term risks include geoeconomic confrontation and societal polarization, with the cost-of-living crisis topping the list.
EU: Sustainability Agreements in Agriculture
In 2021 the European Parliament and Council of the EU adopted a new exclusion allowing restrictions of competition for agreements in the agriculture sector if they are indispensable to achieve sustainability standards higher than EU or national mandatory standards. This exclusion is laid down in the CMO Regulation 1308/2013 forming part of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (under Article 210a of the CMO).
The Council and Parliament asked the Commission to issue guidelines concerning the conditions for the application of this exclusion by December 8, 2023. Following the first call for evidence, the European Commission drafted a first version of the guidelines on antitrust exclusion for sustainability agreements in agriculture, which is now opened for consultation with stakeholders.
Deadline for submitting comments is April 24, 2023.
EU: Use of Bee-Toxic Pesticides
On January 19, 2023, the European Court of Justice ruled that EU countries should no longer be allowed temporary exemptions for banned, bee-toxic neonicotinoid pesticides (imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam) used in agriculture for seed treatment. “The Court also stresses the obligation of all Member States to take all necessary measures to promote low pesticide- input pest control, giving priority to non-chemical methods wherever possible.”
On February 2, 2023, the European Commission adopted new rules which will, once applicable, lower the Maximum Residues Levels (MRLs) of two pesticides in food: clothianidin and thiamethoxam. Assessments by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have shown that the two chemicals, belonging to the group of neonicotinoid pesticides, pose a high risk to bees and contribute to the global decline of pollinators. For this reason, their outdoor use was already banned in the EU in 2018. The new rules will lower existing MRLs for these substances to the lowest level that can be measured. They will apply to all products produced in the EU, but also to imported food and feed products.
EU: Revision of the EU Pollinators Initiative
The European Commission presented on January 24, 2023, the revised EU Pollinators Initiative 'A New Deal for Pollinators', which sets objectives for 2030 and actions for reversing the decline of pollinators. The key priority is improving pollinator conservation and tackling the causes of their decline. This will be done through:
- Better conservation of species and habitats
- Restoring habitats in agricultural landscapes
- Mitigating the impact of pesticide use on pollinators
- Enhancing pollinator habitats in urban areas
- Tackling the impacts on pollinators of climate change, invasive alien species and other threats such as biocides or light pollution.
EU: New Organic Farming Progress Report
Released on January 26, 2023, this market brief covers facts and figures on organic farming in the EU over the period 2012-2020.
Highlights:
- The share of EU agricultural land under organic farming increased by more than 50% over the period 2012-2020, with an annual increase of 5.7%.
- In 2020, 9.1% of the EU’s agricultural area was farmed organically.
- On average, though with substantial variation across Member States, organic farms are bigger than conventional farms and run by younger farm managers.
- Echoing the growth of production, the retail sales of organic products doubled in the EU between 2015 and 2020.
USA: First-Ever Vaccine for Honeybees Approved
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a conditional vaccine license to Diamond Animal Health, the collaborating manufacturer for Dalan Animal Health. It is supposed to be the first-ever vaccine for honeybees to prevent American foulbrood disease, a fatal bacterial disease that can destroy honeybee colonies. According to the USDA Agricultural Research Service, “American foulbrood is one of the most widespread and the most destructive of the honey bee brood diseases”.
USA: Strengthening Organic Enforcement Final Rule
On January 19, 2023, the USDA's National Organic Program (NOP) published the Strengthening Organic Enforcement final rule, which updates organic regulations. It aims to strengthen oversight and enforcement of the production, handling, and sale of organic products.
This final rule implements the mandates of the 2018 Farm Bill, intends to respond to industry requests to update USDA's organic regulations, and addresses recommendations from the National Organic Standards Board.
The proposed amendments intend to close loopholes in the current regulations to build more consistent certification practices to discourage and detect organic fraud, and improve transparency and traceability.
It will enter into force on March 20, 2023, while its implementation is set for March 19, 2024.
Antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of phenolic extracts from walnut (Juglans regia L.) green husk by using pressure-driven membrane process.
In this study, antioxidant (DPPH and metal chelating), DNA cleavage, biofilm, and antimicrobial properties of extracted phenol from the walnut green husk (WGH) and its different concentrate and permeate samples were evaluated. For maximum phenolic compound extraction from the WGH first, the effects of solvent type (deionized water, methanol, n-hexane, acetone, and ethanol), solvent temperature (25-75 °C), and extraction time (0.5-24 h) were optimized. Then to concentrate phenolic compounds a pressure-driven membrane process was used with four different membrane types. The phenol contents of the concentrate samples were found to be microfiltration (MF) concentrate 4400 mg/L, ultrafiltration (UF) concentrate 4175 mg/L, nanofiltration (NF) concentrate 8155 mg/L, and reverse osmosis (RO) concentrate 8100 mg/L. LC-MSMS was used to determine the quantification of phenolic compounds in permeate and concentrate streams. In addition, all of the concentrate samples with high phenol content showed a high antioxidant activity as 100% with MF concentrate, UF concentrate, NF concentrated and RO concentrated. Likewise, concentrate samples were found to have very high antibiofilm activity as 82.86% for NF concentrate against S. aureus, 85.80% for NF concentrate against P. aureginosa, 80.95% for RO concentrate against S. aureus, and 83.61% for RO-concentrate against P. aureginosa. When the antimicrobial activity of the extracted phenol from WGH and its different concentrate and permeate samples were evaluated by micro dilution and disk diffusion methods, it was found that the ability of the concentrate samples to inhibit bacterial growth was much higher than permeate ones. In addition, extracted phenol from WGH and its different concentrate and permeate samples showed significant DNA nuclease activity. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-022-05588-w
Practice and Progress: Updates on Outbreaks, Advances in Research, and Processing Technologies for Low-moisture Food Safety.
Large, renowned outbreaks associated with low-moisture foods (LMFs) bring to light some of the potential, inherent risks that accompany foods with long shelf lives if pathogen contamination occurs. Subsequently, in 2013, Beuchat et al. (2013) noted the increased concern regarding these foods, specifically noting examples of persistence and resistance of pathogens in low-water activity foods (LWAFs), prevalence of pathogens in LWAF processing environments, and sources of and preventive measures for contamination of LWAFs. For the last decade, the body of knowledge related to LMF safety has exponentially expanded. This growing field and interest in LMF safety have led researchers to delve into survival and persistence studies, revealing that some foodborne pathogens can survive in LWAFs for months to years. Research has also uncovered many complications of working with foodborne pathogens in desiccated states, such as inoculation methods and molecular mechanisms that can impact pathogen survival and persistence. Moreover, outbreaks, recalls, and developments in LMF safety research have created a cascading feedback loop of pushing the field forward, which has also led to increased attention on how industry can improve LMF safety and raise safety standards. Scientists across academia, government agencies, and industry have partnered to develop and evaluate innovate thermal and nonthermal technologies to use on LMFs, which are described in the presented review. The objective of this review was to describe aspects of the extensive progress made by researchers and industry members in LMF safety, including lessons-learned about outbreaks and recalls, expansion of knowledge base about pathogens that contaminate LMFs, and mitigation strategies currently employed or in development to reduce food safety risks associated with LMFs. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfp.2022.11.010
Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessment induced by pesticide residues in fresh pistachio in Iran based on Monte Carlo simulation.
This research is aimed at the analysis of 87 pesticides in 30 fresh pistachio samples prepared from stores in Iran by QuEChERS-ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The results showed at least one pesticide was in 67% of fresh pistachio samples. Kresoxim methyl residue was detected in 20 samples with average of 0.11 mg kg-1; this average is 2.2 times more than maximum residue limit (MRL). Buprofezin was recognized in five samples with average of 0.17 mg kg-1 was observed with 3.4 times more than MRL; hexaconazole and permethrin were recognized in three samples lower than MRL with an average residue of 0.030 and 0.028 mg kg-1, respectively. In addition, potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risk assessments were evaluated using probabilistic methods performed with the Monte Carlo simulation algorithm. The order of pesticide ranking based on hazard quotient (HQ) was hexaconazole > buprofezin > permethrin > kresoxim methyl. Total HQ (HI) was 2.0E-4 and for children, 9.0E-4. Hence, it means fresh pistachio consuming maybe not have significant short-term health risks for consumer. Ranking based on cancer risk (CR) was hexaconazole > kresoxim methyl > metalaxyl > permethrin > buprofezin. However, total CR due to pesticide residues was not higher than 1E-6 value (1.09E-9); therefore, consumers were not at significant risk of carcinogenicity in this product. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-25143-0
Efficient Remediation of Cadmium- and Lead-Contaminated Water by Using Fe-Modified Date Palm Waste Biochar-Based Adsorbents.
Heavy metals pollution of water resources is an emerging concern worldwide and seeks immediate attention. Date palm waste was transformed into biochar (BC), which was further modified through Fe-intercalation for the production of magnetic biochar (Fe-BC) in this study. The produced BC and Fe-BC were analyzed for chemical, proximate, surface, and elemental composition. The efficiency of the produced adsorbents to decontaminate the water from Cd2+ and Pb2+ ions was investigated through kinetics and an isotherm adsorption batch trial. Kinetics adsorption data fit well with the pseudo-second order and power function model, while equilibrium data were described well with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The maximum adsorption capacity as shown by the Langmuir model was the highest for Fe-BC for both Cd2+ (48.44 mg g-1) and Pb2+ (475.14 mg g-1), compared with that of BC (26.78 mg g-1 Cd2+ and 160.07 mg g-1 Pb2+). Both materials showed higher removal of Pb (36.34% and 99.90% on BC and Fe-BC, respectively) as compared with Cd (5.23% and 12.28% on BC and Fe-BC, respectively) from a binary solution. Overall, Fe-BC was more efficient in adsorbing both of the studied metals from contaminated water. The application of Fe-BC resulted in 89% higher adsorption of Cd2+ and 197% higher adsorption of Pb2+ from aqueous media as compared to BC. Kinetics and isotherm models as well as SEM-EDS analysis of the post-adsorption adsorbents suggested multiple adsorption mechanisms including chemisorption, pore-diffusion, and electrostatic interactions. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010802
The drivers and impacts of Amazon Forest degradation.
Approximately 2.5 × 106 square kilometers of the Amazon Forest are currently degraded by fire, edge effects, timber extraction, and/or extreme drought, representing 38% of all remaining forests in the region. Carbon emissions from this degradation total up to 0.2 petagrams of carbon per year (Pg C year−1), which is equivalent to, if not greater than, the emissions from Amazon deforestation (0.06 to 0.21 Pg C year−1). Amazon forest degradation can reduce dry-season evapotranspiration by up to 34% and cause as much biodiversity loss as deforestation in human-modified landscapes, generating uneven socioeconomic burdens, mainly to forest dwellers. Projections indicate that degradation will remain a dominant source of carbon emissions independent of deforestation rates. Policies to tackle degradation should be integrated with efforts to curb deforestation and complemented with innovative measures addressing the disturbances that degrade the Amazon Forest. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abp8622