India Aligns Pesticide Limits for Herbs, Spices with Codex, Other Countries
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The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued an order regarding maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides in spices and culinary herbs, in alignment with Codex Alimentarius guidelines and the MRLs adopted by the U.S., the EU, Japan, and Australia/New Zealand.
Pesticide MRLs for food commodities, including spices and culinary herbs, are laid out in India’s 2011 Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins, and Residues) Regulation, and are based on field trial data received through the Indian Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare’s Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (MAFW’s CIBRC). Until field trial data is available, MRLs for spices are also fixed based on the data generated under the MAFW’s Monitoring of Pesticide Residues and National Level (MPRNL) scheme. However, in India, most pesticides do not have established MRLs for spices and culinary herbs due to lack of field trial data.
For pesticides that are registered with CIBRC and have MRLs established by Codex and adopted by the EU/the U.S./Japan/Australia/New Zealand, the MRLs established by Codex will apply. If MRLs are not specified by Codex, then MRLs of 0.1 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) shall be adopted for spices and culinary herbs.
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