Maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides registered for use on Australian almonds

Other format

This information is also available in the following format:

Information Bulletin

This information bulletin provides a list of maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides registered1 for use in Australian on almonds. Listed in the table are MRLs for Australia, as established by Food Standards Australia New Zealand and a number of countries to which Australian almonds are exported. The main purpose of this bulletin is to inform growers, packers and marketers of the export requirements for pesticide residues. The critical element of this information is that Australian MRLs do not apply to other countries, and even though a chemical may be registered in Australia, this may not be the case in another country. For Australia if an MRL is ‘not set’, a zero tolerance applies (refer to end of table for full details on other countries).

Disclaimer: Although the Australian Government has exercised due care and skill in the preparation and compilation of this publication, it does not warrant its accuracy, completeness, currency or suitability for any purpose. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Australian Government disclaims all liability including liability in negligence for any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred by persons as a result of accessing, using or relying upon any of the information or data set out in this publication. Before relying on the material in any matters, users should carefully evaluate its accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance for the purposes intended, and should obtain any appropriate professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances.

Maximum residue limit (mg/kg) for almonds.

Active ingredient1

Australia2

Codex3

European Union4

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)5

Hong Kong6

India7

Japan8

Malaysia9

USA2

ORGANOPHOSPHATE INSECTICIDES

chlorpyrifos

 

0.05

0.05

 

 

 

0.20

 

0.20

diazinon

0.10

0.05

0.05

 

 

 

0.05 (P)

 

3.0 (hulls)

dimethoate

 

 

0.05

 

 

 

1.0 (P)

 

 

fenthion

 

 

0.01

 

 

 

 

 

 

malathion (maldison)

8.00

 

0.02

8.0 (in shell)

 

 

8.00

 

8.00

methidathion

 

0.05

0.05

 

 

 

0.05 (P)

 

0.05

parathion-methyl

 

 

0.02

 

 

 

0.10

 

0.10

trichlorfon

0.10

 

0.50

 

 

 

0.50

 

 

ACARICIDES

clofentezine

0.50

 

0.05

 

 

 

0.50

 

0.50

propargite

 

0.10

0.10

 

 

 

0.1 (P)

 

0.10

pyridaben

 

 

0.50

 

 

 

 

 

 

tetradifon

 

 

0.02

 

 

 

1.0 (P)

 

 

CARBAMATES

cabaryl

1.00

1.00

0.05

 

 

 

1.00 (P)

 

0.10

methiocarb

 

 

0.20

 

 

 

 

 

 

pirimicarb

 

 

1.00

 

 

 

0.50

 

 

ORGANOCHLORINE INSECTICIDES

aldrin and dieldrin

 

 

0.01

 

 

 

0.06 (P)

 

 

chlordane

0.02 (E)

0.02

0.01

 

 

 

0.02 (P)

 

 

DDT

 

 

0.05

 

 

 

0.05 (P)

 

 

dicofol

5.00

 

0.05

 

 

 

3.00 (P)

 

0.30

endosulfan

0.05

 

0.10

 

 

 

0.50 (P)

 

 0.30

endrin

 

 

0.01

 

 

 

0.01 (P)

 

 

HCB

 

 

0.01

 

 

 

0.01 (P)

 

 

HCH (BHC)

 

 

0.01

 

 

 

 

 

 

heptachlor

 

 

0.01

 

 

 

10.00 (P)

 

 

lindane (gamma HCH)

 

 

0.01

 

 

 

0.01 (P)

 

 

oxychlordane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER INSECTICIDES

piperonyl butoxide

8.00

 

 

 

 

 

8.00 (P)

 

8.00

pymetrozine

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.02 (P)

 

 

pyrethrins

1.00

0.50

1.00

1.00

 

 

1.00

 

1.00

spinosad

0.01

0.01

1.00

 

 

 

0.02

 

0.02

FUNGICIDES

azoxystrobin

0.01

 

0.10

 

 

 

0.02

 

0.02

captan

0.30

0.30

0.30

 

 

 

0.03 (P)

 

0.25

carbendazim

 

0.10

0.10

 

 

 

 

 

 

chlorothalonil

0.10

 

0.01

 

 

 

0.05 (P)

 

0.05

cyproconazole

 

 

0.05

 

 

 

0.05

 

 

dithiocarbamates
(Mancozeb, Metiram,
Thiram, Zineb and Ziram)

3.00

0.10

0.05

 

 

 

0.1 (P)

 

 

iprodione

 

0.20

0.02

 

 

 

10.00

 

0.30

propiconazole

 

 

0.05

 

 

 

 

 

0.10

HERBICIDES

bromoxynil

 

 

0.05

 

 

 

 

 

 

carfentrazone-ethyl

 

 

0.01

 

 

 

0.08 (P)

 

0.10

diflufenican

 

 

0.05

 

 

 

0.002 (P)

 

 

diquat

0.05

 

0.05

 

 

 

0.03 (P)

 

0.02

glufosinate

0.10

0.10

0.10

 

 

 

0.10

 

0.10

glyphosate

0.20

 

0.10

 

 

 

1.00

 

 

haloxyfop

0.05

 

0.05

 

 

 

0.05 (P)

 

 

isoxaben

0.01

 

0.05

 

 

 

 

 

 

napropamide

 

 

0.05

 

 

 

0.1 (P)

 

0.10

norflurazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.2 (P)

 

0.10

oryzalin

 

 

0.01

 

 

 

0.08 (P)

 

0.05

oxyfluorfen

 

 

0.05

 

 

 

0.05 (P)

 

0.05

paraquat

0.05

0.05

0.02

 

 

 

0.05 (P)

 

0.05

pendimethalin

0.05

 

0.05

 

 

 

0.05

 

0.10

simazine

0.10

 

0.10

 

 

 

0.2 (P)

 

0.25

trifluralin

 

 

0.10

 

 

 

0.05

 

0.05

FUMIGANTS

phosphine (hydrogen
phosphide)

0.01

0.01

0.05

 

 

 

0.0

 

0.1

METALS

Cadmium (Cd)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copper(Cu)

 

 

30.0 (copper compounds)

 

 

 

NR

 

 

Lead (Pb)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mercury (Hg)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes to Table:

1 The registration status of the chemicals listed may vary for each commodity and in each State. Prior to using any chemical, consult the label and/or regulatory authority in your State. The persistent organochlorines (DDT, dieldrin and lindane) are not registered for use.

2 AUSTRALIA and US: in the absence of a set MRL, zero tolerance applies. For metals, for example, Australia adopts the principle that regardless of whether or not a Maximum Limit exists, the levels of contaminants and natural toxicants in all foods should be kept As Low As Reasonably Achievable (the ALARA principle).

3 Many countries default to maximum residue limits established by CODEX including ALGIERS, ANGOLA, BAHAMAS, BANGLADESH, BARBADOS, COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, HONDURAS, HONG KONG, JORDAN, LEBANON, NICARAGUA, PAKISTAN, PANAMA, PERU, PHILIPPINES, THAILAND, TRINIBAD & TOBAGO, TUNISIA AND VENEZUELA.

4 European MRLs were harmonised on 1 September 2008 and include countries of France, Germany, Spain and UK. If no MRL listed then a general default value of 0.01 mg/kg applies.

5 In the absence of a GCC standard, GCC recognises the Codex Alimentarius standard that governs pesticide and other contaminant residue levels.

6 Hong Kong currently adopts the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and Extraneous Maximum Residues Limits (EMRLs) for pesticides recommended by Codex Alimentarius Commission of the WHO/FAO (World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). Details and latest amendments can be browsed or downloaded from the homepage of Codex
Alimentarius Commission (see last page of this document for links)

7 The CODEX MRLs may be accepted for imported foodstuffs only for those pesticides not included in India’s positive list of pesticides.

8 Japan - Where an MRL has not been set, will default to 0.01 mg/kg.

9 Malaysia - Where the pesticide is not specified in their standards will defer to Codex. If no Codex MRL then should not contain more than 0.01 mg/kg.

  • Almonds aslo fall under the category of Tree nuts.
  • blank cell = 'not set' denotes that no MRL has been established, refer to details above for each countries default value.
  • NR (not required) - The substances having no potential to cause damage to human health that the provision requires the Minister to specify.
  • 'P' Provisional - where MRLs have been newly established and are still being reviewed.
  • 'E' Extraneous MRL (Australia) means the maximum permitted limit of a pesticide residue, arising from environmental sources other than the use of a pesticide directly or indirectly on the food, expressed in milligrams of the chemical per kilogram of the food (mg/kg).

This table has been compiled with reference to the information obtained from the following Food/Agricultural Authorities or publications:

Australia - FSANZ Food Standards Code 'Standard 1.4.2' Amendment 106, dated 12 February 2009 available on the FSANZ website http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/thecode/foodstandardscode.cfm.
The MRLs set by FSANZ are based on those established by APVMA in the MRL Standard [http://www.apvma.gov.au/], and may vary slightly due to delays in the legislative process.

Codex - Codex Alimentarius Commission. FAO/WHO Food Stds Codex Alimentarius Pesticide Residues in Food - MRLs & Extraneous MRLs - (last updated 09 April 2008)
http://www.codexalimentarius.net/mrls/pestdes/jsp/pest_q-e.jsp

European Union - European Directives 76/895/EEC, 86/362/EEC, 86/363/EEC, 90/642/EEC and amending legislation available from the Europa website [http://europa.eu.int/], downloaded August 2007. Plant Protection - Pesticide Residues website - http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/protection/pesticides/index_en.htm

GCC - Maximum Limits of Pesticide Residue in Agricultural and Food Products Part 1 - UAE's GCC Standardization Organisation (GSO) 382/1994 and Maximum Limits of Pesticide Residue in Agricultural and Food Products Part 2 - UAEs GSO 383/1994

India - Ministry of Health and Family Welfare - The Prevention of Food Adulteration Act & Rulees ( as of 1/10/2004); Part XIV - Insectides and Pesticides - 65 Restriction on the use of insectides.
http://www.mohfw.nic.in/pfa%20acts%20and%20rules.pdf
http://www.mohfw.nic.in/

Japan - Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food additives, etc. Under the Food Sanitation Law (Abstracts) from
http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/topics/foodsafety/positivelist060228/index.html

Malaysia - Laws of Malaysia. Food (Amendment ) Regulations 2004 available on the Ministry of Health Food Safety and Quality Division website [http://www.moh.gov.my/fqc/index.htm] downloaded March 2009. Link to the Sixteeth Schedule (Regulation 41) Pesticide Residues:
http://fsis.moh.gov.my/fqc/ReferenceBooks/FRschedule/sc16_reg41/Schedule16_reg41.htm

US - Electronic Code of Federal Regulations current October 2011 Title 40--Protection of Environment CHAPTER I--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONT) PART 180--
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=2bfde6952266d018c52f77953f6287b9&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title40/40cfr180_main_02.tpl

Last reviewed:
27 Jun 2012
Contact:
Email National Residue Survey
About National Residue Survey and Contact details
Media Inquiries