- The latest order from Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has increased the MRL of pesticides from 0.01 mg/kg to 0.1 mg/kg.
- About MRL
- The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defined MRL as the highest legally tolerable level of pesticide in food or animal feed.
- Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) sets MRLs for pesticides in food and feed crops for food safety and international trade.
- It was established jointly by FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1963.
- Indian Scenario of MRL
- MRL s in India are specified under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulation, 2011 by the FSSAI.
- They are fixed based on the field trial data received through the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) under the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Issues with increasing the MRL
- Can lead to ingestion of more pesticides into the human body, Can lead to ban on export of Indian food items due to the high pesticide residue, etc.
- Way forward
- Bringing more transparency in field trial data, can register more pesticides under CIBRC, etc.
About FSSAI
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