20 November 2002

FOOD AGENCY CONSIDERS REMOVAL OF ENDOSULFAN MRLs FROM FOOD STANDARDS CODE

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today invited public comment on an application ( A478 ) to delete maximum residue limits for the insecticide endosulfan for certain Brassica and leafy vegetables in the Food Standards Code.

This follows a review of new residues data associated with the agricultural use of the chemical by the National Registration Authority for Veterinary and Agricultural Chemicals (NRA).

These data indicate that residues were higher than previously thought and may, in some cases, have exceeded the MRLs in the Food Standards Code.

The NRA found that the use of endosulfan on a number of Brassica and leafy vegetables 'may result in an occasional vegetable that has endosulfan residues exceeding the short-term safety threshold'.

It has stopped the use of endosulfan on the vegetables in question.

FSANZ Managing Director Ian Lindenmayer said the Australian Total Diet Survey conducted by FSANZ periodically on supermarket foods shows dietary exposure to be within long-term safety limits.  

'The NRA's finding that the short-term safety threshold may have been breached on occasions is of concern, but we note that uses for all of the affected foods have been revoked,' Mr Lindenmayer said.

Mr Lindenmayer also said that if a decision were to be taken to remove the MRLs for endosulfan for the vegetables concerned from the Code, it would thereafter be illegal for anyone to sell those vegetables with any trace of the insecticide, however small.

Further information:  The Draft Assessment report for A478 can be accessed on the FSANZ website by clicking here.