Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to create and regularly update a database of host plant species of Xylella spp. Complying with an extension of the previous mandate, which now covers the period 2021-2026, the current version of Xylella spp. host plant database updates the previous release dated April 2020. Informative data have been extracted from 86 recent publications retrieved through an extensive literature search. This report is related to the fourth version of the database published in Zenodo in the EFSA Knowledge Junction community, covering articles selected from: a systematic literature review conducted up to 31 December 2020, Europhyt outbreak notifications up to 18 March 2021 and communications from research groups and national authorities. Forty-three new host plant species of X. fastidiosa, identified through the data extracted from the selected publications, have been added to the database. Those plant species were reported as naturally or artificially infected by subsp. fastidiosa, multiplex, pauca or unknown (i.e. not reported in the publication) subspecies of X. fastidiosa. New information on the tolerant/resistant response of plant species or varieties to X. fastidiosa infection is also reported. No additional data were retrieved for X. taiwanensis. This new version of the database includes no update on the number of Sequence Types (STs) identified so far, which remains unchanged. The overall number of Xylella spp. host plants determined with at least two different detection methods or positive with one method (between: sequencing, pure culture isolation) reaches now 385 plant species, 179 genera and 67 families. Such numbers rise to 638 plant species, 289 genera and 87 families if considered regardless of the detection method applied. The database will be issued twice per year, with the aim to provide information and scientific support to risk assessors, risk managers and researchers dealing with Xylella spp.

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Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to create and regularly update a database of host plant species of Xylella spp. The mandate now covers the period 2021-2026 and EFSA is requested to release an update of the database twice per year. The aim of the database is to provide information and scientific support to risk assessors, risk managers and researchers dealing with Xylella spp. This report is related to the fifth version of the database published in Zenodo in the EFSA Knowledge Junction community, covering literature published from 1 January 2021 up to 30 June 2021, and recent Europhyt outbreak notifications. Informative data have been extracted from 41 selected publications. Nineteen new host plants were identified and added to the database since the previous update published in June 2021. Those plant species were reported naturally infected by subsp. multiplex or unknown (i.e. not reported in the publication) of X. fastidiosa in the UE (France, Spain and Portugal). No additional data were retrieved for X. taiwanensis. New information on the tolerant/resistant response of plant species to X. fastidiosa infection were added, while no new STs have been identified worldwide compared to the previous update published in May 2021. The overall number of Xylella spp. host plants determined with at least two different detection methods or positive with one method (between: sequencing, pure culture isolation) now reaches 407 plant species, 185 genera and 68 families. Such numbers raise to 655 plant species, 293 genera and 88 families if considered regardless of the detection method applied.

This Scientific report provides an update of the Xylella spp. host plant database, aiming to provide information and scientific support to risk assessors, risk managers and researchers dealing with Xylella spp. Upon a mandate of the European Commission, EFSA created and regularly updated a database of host plant species of Xylella spp. The current mandate covers the period 2021–2026. This report is related to the sixth version of the database published in Zenodo in the EFSA Knowledge Junction community, covering literature published from 1 July 2021 up to 31 December 2021, and recent Europhyt outbreak notifications. Informative data have been extracted from 29 selected publications. Eleven new host plants were identified and added to the database: six plant species naturally infected by subsp. multiplex of X. fastidiosa in the EU (France, Italy and Portugal) and five plant species artificially infected by different X. fastidiosa subspecies ( multiplex , pauca , fastidiosa and sandyi ). No additional data were retrieved for X. taiwanensis . New information on the tolerant/resistant response of plant species to X. fastidiosa infection were added, while no new STs have been identified worldwide compared to the previous update published in January 2022. The overall number of Xylella spp. host plants determined with at least two different detection methods or positive with one method (between: sequencing, pure culture isolation) reaches now 412 plant species, 190 genera and 68 families. Such numbers rise to 664 plant species, 299 genera and 88 families if considered regardless of the detection methods applied.

In accordance with Regulation (EU) No. 16/2011, the exceedance of a legal limit, i.e. ‘non‐compliance’ with a regulatory framework (European or National) does not systematically trigger a RASFF notification. An evaluation on the level of risk is necessary to decide if a notification should be issued. EFSA was requested to propose a risk evaluation methodology that would allow a rapid and consistent risk‐based classification of RASFF notifications. The methodology aims to provide a transparent set of criteria that can support the decision whether to notify in RASFF and increase transparency and harmonization. The methodology was developed for evaluation of contaminants (arising from food contact materials, pharmacologically active substances and other food contaminants) in food. The risk evaluation is based on the assessment of toxicological properties and dietary exposure. The result, expressed as the comparison of exposure to a relevant toxicological reference point, can be classified as no risk; low probability of adverse health effects or low concern for public health; potential risk; or risk. To facilitate the evaluation, the “Rapid Assessment of Contaminant Exposure (RACE)” tool was developed. It uses food consumption information from the EFSA Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database to provide estimates of acute and chronic exposure from single foods and compares the result to the relevant toxicological reference points. The implementation of the FoodEx2 (food categories) and PARAM (hazards) controlled terminologies in the RASFF system is recommended to improve harmonization and facilitate the evaluation.