FSSAI Denies Reports On Elevated Pesticide Residue Levels In Herbs And Spices

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) denied media reports alleging that it permitted elevated levels of pesticide residues in herbs and spices.

Describing the reports as “false and malicious”, the food safety authority, in a press release, emphasized that India maintains some of the strictest standards for Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) globally. It further clarified that MRLs for pesticides are determined individually for various food items following thorough risk assessments.

In India, the regulation of pesticides falls under the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA and FW) through the Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee (CIB and RC), established under the Insecticide Act of 1968. The CIB and RC oversee the manufacturing, importation, transportation, and storage of pesticides, and consequently, the registration, prohibition, or restriction of pesticides is determined.

FSSAI stated that its Scientific Panel on Pesticides Residues evaluates data provided by the Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee (CIB and RC) and proposes Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) following risk assessments, taking into account the dietary habits of the Indian population and health considerations across all age groups. According to FSSAI, there are over 295 pesticides registered by the CIB and RC in India, with 139 of them approved for use in spices. Additionally, Codex has adopted a total of 243 pesticides, with 75 of them applicable for spices.

Pesticides are registered for various food commodities with distinct Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs), determined based on risk assessment data. For example, Monocrotophos is permitted for use on multiple crops with varying MRLs: Rice at 0.03 mg/kg, Citrus fruits at 0.2 mg/kg, Coffee beans at 0.1 mg/kg, Cardamom at 0.5 mg/kg, and Chilli at 0.2 mg/kg.

The MRL of 0.01 mg/kg applied to pesticides without fixed MRLs, but this was raised to 0.1 mg/kg exclusively for spices and only for pesticides not registered by CIB and RC in India. Certain pesticides are utilized across over 10 crops with differing MRLs. For instance, Flubendiamide is employed in Brinjal with an MRL of 0.1, while for Bengal Gram, Cabbage, and Tomato, the MRLs are 1.0 mg/kg, 4 mg/kg, and 2 mg/kg respectively. In Tea, the MRL for Flubendiamide is 50 mg/kg. Similarly, Monocrotophos, used in food grains, has MRLs of 0.03 mg/kg, 0.2 mg/kg for citrus fruits, 2 mg/kg for dried chilli, and 0.5 mg/kg for Cardamom.

“The MRLs are dynamic in nature and regularly revised based on the scientific data. This practice is aligned with global standards and ensures that MRL revisions are made on a scientifically valid basis, reflecting the latest findings and international norms,” FSSAI said.