The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has amended the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011, to update the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for certain contaminants and residues in food products. This amendment regulation is titled Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, toxins and Residues) First Amendment Regulations, 2024.
Key Changes
The new amendment regulations prescribe the following limits to crop contaminants and naturally occurring toxic substances in wheat, wheat bran, rye and barley:
| Contaminant | Revised Limits |
|---|---|
| Ochratoxin A | 5 µg/kg |
| Deoxynivalenol | 1000 µg/kg |
Meat Production
The amendment notification also prescribed a list of 14 antimicrobials and other drugs as prohibited for use in the production of meat, meat products, milk, milk products, poultry, eggs, and aquaculture. These antimicrobials and other drugs are generally used in veterinary practices.
The amended regulation fixes Extraneous Maximum Residue Limits (EMRL) of 0.001 mg/kg to these drugs however, the MRL for Chloramphenicol has been set at 0.0003 mg/kg (0.3 µg/kg).
Honey Production
The use of antibiotics is not permitted during honey production. However, testing for the specified antibiotics will be conducted to ensure compliance with minimum required performance limits (MRPLs).
These amendments are aimed at aligning India’s food safety regulations with international standards and ensuring the safety of food products consumed in the country.
