Traditional and novel approaches to derive health-based guidance values for pesticides

Owing to their inherent toxicities, rigorous testing and critical evaluation of pesticides are required by many legislations. Pesticide residues in agricultural products are inevitable but must be kept below legal limits to guarantee that exposure of the consumer does not exceed safe levels. Substance-specific health-based guidance values for long-term or acute dietary exposure are currently based on studies in laboratory animals, in which doses without adverse health effects serve as the point of departure for their derivation. While the system has so far delivered well in terms of public health protection, it is increasingly challenged to develop further by using new approach methodologies. The potential of these methods not only lies in their reduced animal use but, more importantly, in their ability to use human-derived systems, thus producing data closer to the species of interest as well as enabling a more mechanistic interpretation of any toxicities observed. •Pesticides.•Toxicological data requirements and evaluation.•Reference values.•NOAEL versus benchmark dose approach.•New approach methodologies (NAMs).