Grains: milled products program 2008-2009

Overview

The National Residue Survey (NRS) was originally established in 1961 to measure pesticide residues in exported meat. Today, NRS has expanded to test for residues of agricultural and veterinary chemicals and environmental contaminants in 22 animal products including meat products, honey, egg, wild-caught fish and aquaculture products, 21 grains, pulses and oilseeds, and five horticultural products.

NRS operates on full cost recovery, and is funded principally by levies from participating industries. The Australian Government provides funding for national and international residue commitments that provide benefits for the community, for industry and for government programs.

Residue monitoring is part of an Australian Government and industry strategy to minimise chemical residues and environmental contaminants in food. It also serves to identify potential problems, and indicates where follow-up action is needed. Low residue detections in food commodities are recognised as evidence of good agricultural practice. Results from NRS residue monitoring programs facilitate the access of Australian grain producers to key export markets, support Australia’s status as a producer of clean food and are a measure of overall grain quality.

The grains program has been part of NRS random residue testing programs since 1964, and is funded by a 0.015% ad valorem NRS levy on 21 tradable grains.

The milled products program

Wheat and its milled products (flour, semolina and bran) processed in Australian flour mills have been sampled extensively for residues since a review of the grains program in 1993.

From 1 July 2009, the NRS milled product sub-program will expand to include maize, soybean, triticale and their milled derivatives.

The results from 13 years of residue testing are shown in the table below, and indicate a high degree of compliance with Australian maximum residue limits.

Sampling of milled products

Samples are collected from 23 flour mills according to NRS protocols and are then forwarded to a NRS-contracted laboratory for analysis. At the same time, sample information is sent to NRS, where it is entered into the database.

Typically, samples of whole wheat are taken randomly prior to milling, and corresponding ‘matched’ flour, semolina and bran fractions are collected during the milling process.

NRS currently tests ‘matched’ samples of wheat, flour, semolina and bran annually from each flour mill involved in the program. The number of ‘matched’ samples is dependent on the volume of wheat milled in each mill.

Pesticide screen

The chemical groups covered in grain program are: multi-residue screen (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, insect growth regulators), an additional herbicide screen, heavy metals, fumigants and dithiocarbamates. The chemical screens are developed in consultation with industry so that they are relevant to industry needs.

Milled products residue testing results 2008-2009

Wheat, flour, semolina and bran were tested for residues according the table below.

Comments on milled products residue testing results 2008-2009

Six samples contained residues above the relevant Australian Standard. These were the fungicide fluquinconazole in bran (one), the organophosphate chlorpyrifos in wheat (one) and bran (two), the synthetic pyrethroid deltamethrin in bran (one) and the organophosphate fenitrothion in bran (one).

Overall, there was a compliance rate of 98.8% with Australian Standards.

This result demonstrates that the Australian grains industry uses in-crop and post-harvest agricultural chemicals according to good agricultural practice, and assures customers of the residue and contaminant status of Australian grains.

Laboratory performance evaluation and proficiency testing

NRS contracts analytical laboratories to perform the relevant residue analyses. Laboratories are proficiency tested in order to ensure the validity of analytical results. NRS continues to be an accredited provider of proficiency testing schemes. Accreditation ensures that the NRS proficiency testing system is recognised within the laboratory community as meeting internationally accepted standards and also having the ability to establish the technical competence of participating laboratories.

Laboratories are selected through the Australian Government tendering process on the basis of their proficiency, accreditation and value for money. Current laboratory contracts began on 1 July 2008 and will run to 30 June 2011.

Contacts

General enquiries

Phone: +61 (02) 6272 3187
Fax: +61 (02) 6272 4023
Email: National Residue Survey

Postal address:
National Residue Survey
GPO Box 858
Canberra ACT 2601
Australia

Director, National Residue Survey

Manager, plant residue testing program