Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the potential endocrine disrupting properties of glyphosate

EFSA was requested by the European Commission to consider information on potential endocrine activity of the pesticide active substance glyphosate in accordance with Article 31 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002. In this context, the conclusions of EFSA following the peer review of the initial risk assessment carried out by the competent authority of the rapporteur Member State, Germany, are reported, following the submission and evaluation of pertinent data made available by the applicants. The current conclusion presents a follow-up assessment to the existing EFSA Conclusion on the peer review for the renewal of the approval of glyphosate (EFSA Journal 2015; 13(11): 4302) focussed on the outstanding issues identified in relation to the potential endocrine activity of glyphosate. The current assessment concluded that the weight of evidence indicates that glyphosate does not have endocrine disrupting properties through oestrogen, androgen, thyroid or steroidogenesis mode of action based on a comprehensive database available in the toxicology area. The available ecotox studies did not contradict this conclusion. (C) 2017 European Food Safety Authority. EFSA Journal published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd on behalf of European Food Safety Authority.