MDH-Everest row: FSSAI raises default limit for pesticides in spices but will that impact your health?

Subject: Science and tech

Sec: Health

Context:

The country’s apex food safety regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has increased the default limit for pesticide residues in spices to 0.1 mg/kg last month, a ten-fold increase over the previous 0.01 mg/kg.

More on news:

This will be applicable only in cases where the Indian regulation does not specifically mention the maximum residue limits (MRL) for a pesticide for the crop.
The default MRL for other food products remains the same at 0.01 mg/kg.
The total number of pesticides registered in India are more than 295, out of which 139 pesticides are registered for use in spices.

Why were the limits increased for spices?

It is difficult to keep the limits below the 0.01 mg/kg limit because of the confounding effect of the large number of phenols present in spices.
Imports from other countries may contain pesticides that are approved for use in those countries but not in India.
The default MRL is used in cases where the limit for a pesticide for a particular crop is not present in India.
There could be seepage of a pesticide not approved in spices from other crops where it might be allowed.

About Maximum Residue Level(MRL):

A maximum residue level (MRL) is the highest level of a pesticide residue that is legally tolerated in or on food or feed when pesticides are applied correctly (Good Agricultural Practice).
The maximum residue limit (also maximum residue level, MRL) is the maximum amount of pesticide residue that is expected to remain on food products when a pesticide is used according to label directions, that will not be a concern to human health.

About Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI):

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is an autonomous statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006.
Establishment: FSSAI was established to consolidate various laws related to food safety and standards in India.
The Act of 2006 brought together laws such as the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, the Fruit Products Order, 1955, the Meat Food Products Order, 1973, and others.
Responsibilities: FSSAI is responsible for protecting and promoting public health by regulating and supervising food safety and quality in India.
It operates under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
Headquarters: FSSAI has its headquarters in New Delhi.