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FSSAI proposes pesticide residue limits for tea sector
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Wednesday, 04 November, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Ashwani Maindola, New Delhi
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The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued draft regulations aimed at establishing maximum residue limits for common crop-protection chemicals used across the tea sector. The food regulator stated that the proposed limits are intended to provide clearly defined regulatory benchmarks for pesticide residues, facilitating compliance, monitoring and enforcement of food safety requirements, subject to finalisation of the draft regulations.
Called the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Amendment Regulations, 2026, the draft introduces maximum legal thresholds for two widely used neonicotinoid insecticides – Acetamiprid and Imidacloprid, the food regulator stated that these standards provide a measurable regulatory basis for monitoring pesticide residues and ensuring compliance with prescribed food safety requirements.
The proposed measures modify Regulation 2.3 related to Residues of the primary 2011 regulations.
Under the updated schedule in sub-regulation 2.3.1, specific Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) have been designated for tea: Acetamiprid (Serial No. 3) – fixed at a maximum residue limit of 20 mg/kg and Imidacloprid (Serial No. 103) – fixed at a maximum residue limit of 50 mg/kg.
Both active ingredients belong to the neonicotinoid chemical class, which is frequently used by tea growers to combat sap-sucking pests like thrips and tea mosquitoes.
Experts say that setting definitive legal limits helps prevent excessive agricultural spray build-up from persisting in finished tea products.
Further, according to trade analysts, the policy also serves a broader trade function. Setting defined national limits creates clear benchmark parameters for planters, processors, and testing laboratories and aligning national standards with safety data helps reduce chemical trace rejections during international compliance audits and overseas shipments.
An official with the FSSAI elaborated that the proposed MRL of 20 ppm for Acetamiprid in tea is lower than the corresponding limits of 30 ppm in Japan and 50 ppm in the United States of America. The proposed limit for Imidacloprid has also been formulated with reference to international Codex standards. These comparisons reflect the emphasis on considering internationally recognised regulatory practices while taking into account India's food safety priorities and domestic agricultural requirements.
Maximum Residue Limits are an important component of food safety regulation. They specify the maximum legally permitted concentration of pesticide residues in food commodities and are established on the basis of scientific assessments, taking into account pesticide residue data, dietary exposure and relevant safety considerations.
Meanwhile, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has published the draft proposal and sought comments from stakeholders. Tea estate operators, trade bodies, chemical safety specialists, and consumer organisations will have a designated public window to submit technical comments, data, or counter-proposals before the amended limits are finalised and brought into force.
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