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FSSAI directs officers to instruct labs to test presence of glyphosate
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Friday, 19 October, 2018, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Shraddha Joshi, Mumbai
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Keeping in view the adverse effect of glyphosate, a herbicide found in pulses, FSSAI has directed authorised officers to instruct the laboratories to test its presence along with other testing parameters.
According to an order by the country’s apex food regulator, there is a possibility of higher level of residues of glyphosate found in pulses, which are adversely affecting the health of the consumers when consume.
FSSAI has informed all the authorised officers to direct the lab assistant to test the presence of glyphosate along with other testing parameters when submitting the pulses samples. Further, the data collected by the regional officers on the presence of glyphosate found in pulses needs to be submitted at FSSAI headquarters every fortnightly.
However, taking note of the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for glyphosate in pulses not specified in the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011, the apex food regulator have informed to follow the MRL for glyphosate as specified in Codex standards with regards to import clearances.
The MRL specified for commodities are beans (dry) upto 2mg/kg; lentils (dry) 5mg/kg; peas (dry) 5mg/kg and soybean (dry) 20 mg/ kg. Reference of Codex can be view from time to time for upgrade in MRL of glyphosate in pulses the order recommended.
Glyphosate is one of the largest selling herbicide in the world. Glyphosate was considered to be safe but in 2015, the World Health Organization’s IARC classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen.
In India, glyphosate is being used as a pre-harvest desiccant in several crops resulting in high residues in food.
Glyphosate is considered to be highly toxic and dangerous for human health. When ingested in larger quantities, it can affect immunity to serious diseases and also absorption of mineral and vitamin nutrients.
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