The new edition of the National Food Safety Standard, “Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides in Foods,” will come into effect on September 3, 2021.

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” (GB 2763–2021). The revised standard will come into effect on September 3, 2021.

With this development, China’s maximum residue limits for pesticides will exceed 10,000, providing comprehensive coverage of all pesticide active ingredients approved for use in the country and of major plant-derived products.

“Food is paramount for the people,” and “food safety” has always been a focal point of concern for society as a whole. So, how do the new maximum residue limits for pesticides differ from the previous version? What positive impacts will the new standards have on ensuring the safety of agricultural products? And how should ordinary consumers develop a scientifically informed understanding of pesticide residues? To address these questions, our reporter conducted an exclusive interview with a relevant official from the Department of Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Reporter: Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced that China has surpassed 10,000 maximum residue limits for pesticides, comprehensively covering all pesticide varieties approved for use in the country as well as major plant-derived products. With an expanded set of pesticide‑residue standards, what tangible benefits will this bring to safeguarding food safety?

A: The use of pesticides to control plant diseases, pests, and weeds is a necessary technical measure for ensuring food security and is a widely accepted practice worldwide. Pesticide use inevitably leads to pesticide residues, a reality that applies to agricultural products from any country. Since such residues cannot be entirely avoided, countries establish maximum residue limit (MRL) standards to safeguard the safety and quality of agricultural products and mitigate potential health risks posed by these residues. As the number of MRLs increases, the range of pesticides and agricultural commodities subject to testing expands, broadening the scope of quality‑and‑safety oversight and further enhancing the assurance of agricultural product safety.

The new edition adds 81 pesticide varieties, increases the number of maximum residue limit (MRL) entries by 2,985, and expands the scope of food categories to include 20 additional items, thereby broadening the coverage of the standards. This provides a stronger technical basis for agricultural producers to enhance quality control and for regulatory authorities to more accurately identify potential food safety risks, further safeguarding public food safety.

Reporter: Compared with the previous version, what are the main changes in the newly released maximum residue limits for pesticides?

A: The newly released version of the maximum residue limit (MRL) standards for pesticides specifies 10,092 MRLs for 564 pesticides in 376 food commodities and categories. For the first time, the total number of entries has exceeded 10,000, nearly doubling the level set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). Compared with the 2019 edition, this update adds 81 pesticide substances and 2,985 additional MRLs; and compared with the “Thirteenth… Compared with the 2014 edition prior to the 13th Five-Year Plan, the number of pesticide varieties has increased by 46%, and the number of maximum residue limits has risen by 176%. This not only overachieves the task set by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs for building a pesticide residue standards system during the 13th Five-Year Plan period but also marks a new milestone in China’s efforts to develop pesticide residue standards. It will effectively safeguard the quality and safety of China’s agricultural products, guide the scientific and rational use of pesticides in agricultural production, and promote the healthy development of international trade in agricultural products.

Reporter: What is the current situation regarding pesticide residues in China? How do pesticide residues arise, and what measures can be taken to reduce and manage them? In the production stage, how can we ensure that pesticide residue levels meet regulatory standards at the source?

Answer: In recent years, routine monitoring of agricultural product quality and safety in China has consistently shown a pass rate for pesticide residues exceeding 97%. Overall, the quality and safety of China’s agricultural products remain under control and at a relatively high level.

From a scientific perspective, pesticide residues are an inevitable consequence of pesticide application. They refer to any specific substance that may be present in agricultural products as a result of pesticide use, including pesticide derivatives that are considered to have toxicological significance—such as transformation products, metabolites, reaction by-products, and impurities formed within the plant. In fact, during the registration process, the safety of pesticide products is rigorously assessed, and appropriate usage guidelines are provided. Therefore, as long as pesticides are applied and crops are harvested in accordance with the product label instructions, the safety and quality of agricultural products can be ensured.

Of course, given the fundamental national conditions in which agricultural production is predominantly carried out by small-scale family farms, it is imperative to adopt a multifaceted approach to enhance the application of scientifically sound pesticide‑use practices, thereby safeguarding the safety of agricultural production, the quality and safety of agricultural products, and the ecological environment.

First, strengthen source‑level control. Fully leverage the regulatory role of pesticide registration to further optimize the product mix. Accelerate the phase‑out of highly toxic and high‑risk pesticides, curb low‑level redundant production, and actively promote the development of efficient, low‑toxicity, and low‑residue formulations. Encourage the registration of biopesticides and specialized minor‑crop products. Second, vigorously advance green pest‑management practices. Widely promote eco‑friendly pesticides and formulation types to gradually replace highly toxic, high‑residue products, phasing out those currently in use. At the same time, intensify the adoption of alternative plant‑protection measures, including the use of natural enemies, light traps and other physical methods, as well as insect pheromone‑based trapping and confusion techniques. Third, enhance training in efficient, safe, and scientifically sound application technologies. Provide robust capacity‑building for farmers and frontline technical personnel, raising their awareness and skills in safe, rational pesticide use, disseminating knowledge of proper and judicious application, curbing misuse, improving control efficacy, and reducing overall pesticide inputs. Fourth, vigorously develop professional service organizations. By fostering specialized pest‑and‑disease management service providers, elevate the professionalism and scale of pesticide application, ensuring that usage aligns more closely with the principles of effective pest and disease control, thereby achieving the goals of more scientific and rational pesticide use.

Reporter: At the consumption stage, how should consumers scientifically understand pesticide residues? How can they properly sort and handle these residues? What key considerations and precautions should consumers keep in mind when selecting and preparing fruits and vegetables?

A: Establishing maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides is a standard technical measure and widely adopted practice used by international organizations and countries to strengthen the control of pesticide residues. Whether it is safe to consume agricultural products containing pesticide residues depends on the level of residue, the toxicity of the pesticide, and the amount consumed. When setting MRLs, countries apply a safety factor of at least 100-fold; therefore, residue levels below the established limits are considered safe and can be consumed with confidence.

Fresh agricultural products sold at authorized outlets such as farmers’ markets, supermarkets, and community‑based vegetable stands undergo mandatory testing before being put on the shelves, ensuring their quality and safety. Of course, consumers can further enhance hygiene by rinsing, peeling, blanching, or other cleaning methods, depending on the type of produce and their dietary preferences. Meanwhile, agricultural products sold at informal or unregulated venues—whose origins are often unclear—cannot be reliably assured to meet safety standards; consumers are advised to exercise caution when purchasing from such sources.

Reporter: What effective practices are currently in place to safeguard the public’s food safety?

Answer: In recent years, the authorities responsible for agricultural product quality and safety have, in accordance with General Secretary Xi Jinping’s “four strictest” requirements, made ensuring “food safety” a top priority and have continuously advanced the development of relevant standards. In 2015, the State Council approved the “Work Plan for Accelerating the Improvement of China’s Pesticide Residue Standard System,” which provided a top-level design for establishing China’s pesticide residue standards during the 13th Five-Year Plan period and set a target of completing 10,000 such standards.

The 2021 edition of GB 2763 aligns with the “strictest standards” by scientifically setting maximum residue limits, prioritizing oversight of high-risk pesticides and key agricultural products, thereby broadening safeguards for agricultural product quality and safety and ensuring food safety for the public.

First, it places a strong emphasis on the regulation of high-risk pesticide varieties. It has established 792 maximum residue limits for 29 prohibited pesticides, including methamidophos, and 345 maximum residue limits for 20 restricted-use pesticides, such as omethoate, achieving full coverage across all plant-derived agricultural products and providing robust criteria for enforcing strict oversight of the illegal or non‑compliant use of banned and restricted pesticides. Second, it prioritizes the oversight of fresh‑consumption agricultural products. With vegetables, fruits, and other fresh produce accounting for an increasingly large share of China’s diet, their quality and safety have drawn heightened attention. The revised pesticide residue limit standards set 5,766 maximum residue limits for these fresh‑consumption commodities, offering solid support for strengthening quality‑and‑safety supervision of such products. Third, it underscores the regulation of imported agricultural products. In response to the possibility that imported goods may contain pesticides not yet registered in China, and through methods such as evaluating and adopting Codex Alimentarius standards, it has established 1,742 maximum residue limits for 87 pesticides—other than those already banned in China—that have not yet been approved for use domestically. This provides a technical foundation for more effectively safeguarding food safety at the border and helps ensure the consumption safety of imported foods for the Chinese public.

Pesticide maximum residue limits are established based on China’s pesticide registration residue trials and market monitoring data, dietary consumption data, and pesticide toxicology data, following a rigorous scientific risk assessment. China has aligned its principles, methodologies, and data requirements for dietary risk assessment of pesticide residues with those of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) as well as European and American standards, thereby ensuring the advanced nature of its regulatory framework.

To ensure scientific rigor, impartiality, and transparency, the standard was developed through extensive consultation with experts, users, consumers, relevant government departments, and the general public. It was also notified to World Trade Organization members and subjected to peer review of its scientific soundness, thereby guaranteeing that the standard both effectively safeguards the quality and safety of agricultural products and aligns with the realities of China’s agricultural production.

Source: People’s Daily (Agriculture Edition)