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FSSAI Proposes Science-Based Pesticide Residue Limits For Tea
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News18•17-10-2026, 19:30
FSSAI Proposes Science-Based Pesticide Residue Limits For Tea
- •The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has notified draft amendments proposing maximum residue limits for Acetamiprid and Imidacloprid in tea.
- •The proposed limits are set at 20 mg/kg for Acetamiprid and 50 mg/kg for Imidacloprid, reflecting both international standards and Indian agricultural needs.
- •These regulations aim to provide clear benchmarks for compliance and monitoring while balancing effective pest management with consumer safety.
- •India maintains a comparatively low average pesticide use of less than 0.5 kg per hectare, well below the global average.
Key Questions Answered
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) proposed maximum residue limits (MRLs) of 20 mg/kg for Acetamiprid and 50 mg/kg for Imidacloprid in tea.
The draft of the Food Safety and Standards Amendment Regulations, 2026, was published in the Gazette of India on October 16, 2026.
India's proposed limit of 20 ppm for Acetamiprid in tea is lower than Japan's limit of 30 ppm and the United States limit of 50 ppm, while the Imidacloprid limit aligns with international Codex standards.
