Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed an inter-ministerial committee to look into the matter of pesticide-use in India.
- The issue assumes urgency against the backdrop of two developments: there are growing concerns over food safety at home and EU trade negotiators are insisting that India bring down pesticide residues—measured as maximum residue levels (MRL)—in its agricultural exports to Europe.
Maximum Residue Limit (MRL)
- The traces pesticides leave in treated products or those left by veterinary drugs in animals are called “residues”.
- A maximum residue limit (MRL) is the highest level of a pesticide residue that is legally tolerated in or on food or feed when pesticides are applied correctly in accordance with Good Agricultural Practice.
- While spraying pesticides on the farm, some of the residues remain of the plant and irrational use can have health risks. This can be reduced at the primary level of production so that residues remain with specified MRLs.
- India has a network of 206 primary food testing labs that have been approved by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
- These labs are responsible for carrying out analysis of food samples collected under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
