For the first time, surpassing the international Codex Alimentarius, China has increased its pesticide residue maximum residue limits to 7,107 items.

Release Date:

2019-09-02

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, together with the National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation, jointly issued the “National Food Safety Standard: Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides in Foods.”

The newly released version of the maximum residue limits for pesticides sets 7,107 residue limit entries for 483 pesticides in 356 food commodities (or groups). Compared with the 2016 edition, this version adds 50 pesticide varieties and 2,967 maximum residue limits, with both the number of covered pesticide varieties and the total number of limits surpassing, for the first time, the figures set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, marking a new milestone in China’s pesticide residue limit standards.

It is reported that the 2019 edition of the “National Food Safety Standard: Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides in Foods” covers all pesticide varieties approved for use in China, thereby resolving the longstanding issue of “pesticides registered but with no established residue limits.” At the same time, residue limits were scientifically and rigorously set based on assessment data. Among them, In particular, it highlights high-risk prohibited and restricted-use pesticides, specifying 585 maximum residue limits for 27 prohibited pesticides and 311 maximum residue limits for 16 restricted-use pesticides.

The new version of the standard also significantly increases Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides in Specialty Minor Crops Among them, 804 maximum residue limits (MRLs) for 119 specialty minor crops, including ginseng, bayberry, and winter jujube, were newly established, bringing the total to 1,602—more than double the number in the 2016 edition.

The new version of the standard regarding Maximum Residue Limits for Foods of Animal Origin Achieved breakthrough growth It establishes 703 maximum residue limits for 109 pesticides in 27 types of animal-derived foods commonly consumed by the public, including meat, eggs, and milk—14 times the number set in the 2016 edition. By shifting from a focus primarily on plant-based foods to a more comprehensive approach that now includes animal-derived products, this framework further expands the scope of food safety oversight.

In response to the significant increase in the number of pesticide varieties found in imported food and agricultural products, which may contain pesticides not yet registered in China, The new version of the standard has been developed through an assessment process that aligns it with the Codex Alimentarius standards. , 1,109 maximum residue limits have been established for 77 pesticides that have not yet been approved for use in China.

It is reported that the newly issued maximum residue limits for pesticides in food were formulated after extensive consultation with consumers, producers and operators, experts, relevant government departments, and the general public, and were also subject to review by World Trade Organization members. While ensuring the safety and quality of agricultural products, these standards are aligned with China’s actual agricultural production conditions. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs stated that, It will ensure that by 2020, the number of maximum residue limits for pesticides in China, along with their corresponding analytical methods, exceeds 10,000.

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