Traces of Chemical Pesticides are now commonly found in Food Products due to their indiscriminate use in Farming. Over 1000 pesticides are currently in use, worldwide. None of those presently authorized for use on food internationally, are Genotoxic (DNA, damaging). However, exposure over safe levels may cause acute poisoning, be carcinogenic or adversely affect the nervous, reproductive, or other systems over time.

Codex Alimentarius has specified Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) as a reference standard for each food pesticide & its metabolites. Countries either follow international standards or devise their own standards to ensure Food Safety for their Consumers. The Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulate the use of Pesticides in India. Over 50 pesticides have been banned for use in India while 9 others have been notified as “for Restricted Use”. The Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, toxins, and Residues) Regulations, 2011 specify Tolerance Limits for over 140 Insecticide Residues in Food.

The Food Processing Sector relies on testing Service providers to test their products and confirm their compliance with regulatory standards. Pesticide Analysis aims to detect, quantify, and identify multiple pesticides with their own physicochemical properties in hundreds of different food sample types across food and beverages, animal feeds, agricultural crops, water, grains, and tobacco products.

EFRACs ISO-17025 Laboratory has extensive experience in the multi-residue screening of Fungicides, Herbicides, and Insecticides, and their Metabolites apart from Pesticide Mixtures. These are tested with validated methods on the latest LC/MS/MS and GC/MS/MS equipment. Some of the Chemical Groups tested include Organophosphorus, Organochlorines, Pyrethroids, Triazines, Dicarboximides, Organonitrogens, Carbamates, and Plant Growth Regulators. Additionally, EFRAC Analyses Pesticide Residue active substances as per the requirements laid down by EU’s Commission’s Decision 2002/657/EC as well as those in other specifi¬c documents, i.e. Nos. SANTE/11813/2017, (EC) No. 333/2007, 401, and 644/ 2017.