Responding to unfounded claims about excessively high pesticide residues in herbs and spices, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has refuted allegations, emphasizing that India adheres to some of the strictest pesticide residue standards globally. According to FSSAI, pesticide application is stringently regulated, with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) being determined based on comprehensive risk assessments.
FSSAI highlighted that the standard MRL for pesticides is set at 0.01 mg/kg. However, this limit can increase to 0.1 mg/kg specifically for spices, and only applies to those pesticides that have not been approved in India by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB & RC). The adjustment was advised by the Scientific Panel on Pesticide Residues.
FSSAI’s MRLs are lower than international standards in several cases. For instance, the MRL for myclobutanil in chilli set by CODEX is 20 mg/kg, whereas FSSAI has set it at 2 mg/kg. For spiromesifen, used on chilli, CODEX has a limit of 5 mg/kg, while FSSAI’s limit is 1 mg/kg. Additionally, for metalaxyl and metalaxyl-M used in black pepper, while CODEX allows up to 2 mg/kg, FSSAI limits it to 0.5 mg/kg. The recent CODEX MRLs for substances like dithiocarbamates, phorate, triazophos, and profenophos in fennel are set at 0.1 mg/kg, a standard FSSAI also follows.
FSSAI emphasised that MRLs are subject to continuous review and adjustment based on the latest scientific data, ensuring they stay in line with international safety and quality benchmarks set by bodies such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission – a global food safety and quality standards organization established by the WHO and FAO of the United Nations- and the European Union. As reported by ZEEBUSINESS, the methodology ensures that all revisions to the MRLs are scientifically sound, up-to-date, and consistent with global practices.
