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

  • May 8, 2024
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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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.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) MDH-Everest row: FSSAI raises default limit for pesticides in spices but will that impact your health? Science and tech

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