Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 18: FSSAI has proposed residue limits for acetamiprid and imidacloprid in tea. The draft caps them at 20 ppm and 50 ppm respectively. The standards aim to sharpen monitoring but are not yet final.
India’s daily chai is under scanner as FSSAI proposes limits for two pesticide residues. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India wants a 20 mg/kg cap for acetamiprid. It suggests 50 mg/kg for imidacloprid. Both are neonicotinoids, a widely used class of insecticides. In these units, one mg/kg equals one part per million, or ppm.
The proposals appeared in the Gazette of India on October 16. They form part of the draft Food Safety and Standards Amendment Regulations, 2026. The limits are not yet final or legally enforceable. These limits bind producers only once the regulator completes its process. According to the health ministry, the proposal reflects a science-based review of residue standards.
A maximum residue limit, or MRL, is the highest residue legally allowed in a food. Regulators set MRLs using residue data, usage patterns and dietary exposure estimates. An MRL is a compliance benchmark, not a direct measure of toxicity. Exceeding one does not automatically mean a product causes harm. The figures concern tea itself; no data on brewed cups was released.
The health ministry said India’s proposed acetamiprid limit is lower than overseas benchmarks. Japan allows 30 ppm and the United States 50 ppm, it noted. A lower number does not by itself prove stricter overall regulation. Approved uses, testing methods and diets differ between countries. The imidacloprid limit draws on Codex standards, the ministry added. Codex Alimentarius, run by the FAO and WHO, sets international food benchmarks. Its standards guide national rules but do not bind them.
If finalised, the limits would give the tea supply chain a common yardstick. Growers would need to time and dose sprays to stay within them. Processors and laboratories would gain clear thresholds for testing batches. Inspectors would have defined numbers against which to judge compliance.
The proposal extends a wider review of pesticide residue rules. The Contaminants, Toxins and Residues Amendment Regulations, 2024, marked an earlier stage. The ministry also cited the earlier delisting of 13 higher-toxicity pesticides.
Officials stress that crop protection and consumer safety must be balanced. Used as prescribed, pesticides help farmers curb pests and limit losses, the ministry said. It put India’s average use below 0.5 kg per hectare. The estimated global average is 2.38 kg. National averages, however, say little about residues in any single crop. Those depend on application practices and each chemical’s properties. Pesticide registrations also vary by country, reflecting crops and climate.
For consumers, the draft signals prevention rather than a response to any crisis. No contamination incident or unsafe sample was reported alongside the proposal. Clear limits can, however, make testing more consistent and enforcement more transparent.
The draft could bring greater clarity to a staple Indian beverage. Its value will depend on final wording, sound science and steady enforcement. Until then, the 20 ppm and 50 ppm limits remain proposals.
