The Pesticides and Marine Biotoxins (PBM) unit carries out work in the area of pesticides and marine biotoxins. It helps assess consumer exposure to organic contaminants in foodstuffs via Total Diet Studies (TDSs) and other studies aiming to determine the prevalence of pesticides or toxins in certain food sectors.

Reference activities

The unit has four national reference mandates:

• for pesticides in foodstuffs of animal origin and high-fat products;
• for residues of dual-use veterinary medicinal products in foodstuffs of animal origin, as associate NRL (mandate held by the Fougères Laboratory);
• for the analysis of pesticides in foodstuffs of animal and plant origin using single-residue methods;
• for marine biotoxins.

As part of its reference missions, the unit develops and validates analytical methods and coordinates networks of official laboratories, for which it holds training sessions. It organises proficiency tests, confirms official analyses and provides its scientific and technical expertise as requested by its supervisory ministries. Since marine biotoxins can cause acute food poisoning, the unit is asked to investigate food poisoning outbreaks.

Surveillance activities 

The unit also carries out surveillance activities, which include performing analyses as part of national and European control and monitoring plans for pesticides. It contributes to the surveillance scheme for emerging marine biotoxins in collaboration with Ifremer (EmergTox network). 

Expert appraisal activities

The unit helps assess risks by contributing to the expert appraisals of the Risk Assessment Department. It is involved in work to standardise analytical methods (AFNOR, CEN, ISO) and provides support to the competent authorities during discussions on European regulations under preparation. The expert appraisal activities undertaken at national, European and international level cover the unit’s two areas of work.

Research activities

As part of its research and reference missions, the unit works to improve knowledge on the types and levels of pesticides, marine biotoxinsand cyanotoxins in food, thereby helping assess the dietary chemical exposome.

In this context, the unit implements analytical methods with the following objectives:

• the mapping of food contamination (“targeted” and “non-targeted” broad-spectrum methods);
• the simultaneous analysis of several organic contaminants in the same class, using broad-spectrum multi-residue approaches;
• the detection of emerging pesticides, in particular transformation products, non-regulated emerging biotoxins and cyanotoxins.