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Almond Facts
JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2017
With world trade in food products on the rise,
many countries have stepped up monitoring
of food imports, which can result in delays at
the border or outright rejection of a shipment
judged to not meet that nation’s standards.
Inconsistency in standards and political antics sometimes
come into play to keep shipments from timely delivery,
which can become a costly headache for a shipper.
Being up to speed on changing standards and methods
of operation in foreign markets is vital in today’s global
economy. That was the theme of the annual meeting
seminar on “Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs)” led by
Molly Miller, Import Tolerance Strategist with BASF
Corp. She noted that a common target for regulators
today is pesticide residue levels on food entering their
countries, a practice that makes having prior clearance
highly advisable.
Blue Diamond
has a rigorous screening program to
make certain its products test well within legal limits
and assures customers of its products’ safety. After
years of testing,
Blue Diamond
has not found any
product arriving from the field to be over established
specifications, observed Mel Machado, Director of
Member Relations. He pointed out “that’s a testament
to the conscientiousness of our growers.” Machado
also noted that customers increasingly ask, “What do
growers do to produce the crop?” Customers want to
know more about cultural practices and inputs than
ever before, he said.
MRLs
A tool increasingly used by exporters and receiving
countries to evaluate product safety is the (MRLs)
designation obtained from government authorities.
An MRL denotes the highest residues legally allowed
to be in or on a food item after use of a particular
pesticide in accordance with label directions.
Miller pointed out that MRLs indicate proper use of a
pesticide and that a product testing within an MRL’s
specifications is safe for consumers. “It’s a trading
standard,” she said, “and it’s needed for export, especially
now as more countries monitor imports and monitor them
more closely. If there is no MRL for a pesticide used on a
commodity there is strong potential for a trade barrier.”
To obtain an MRL for a pesticide used on a given
commodity, residue trials are conducted using
the “worst case” scenario, Miller explained, “The
trials use the highest application rates, shortest
intervals between applications, maximum number of
applications, and shortest pre-harvest intervals. The
resulting residue levels are used to calculate MRLs.”
Trial results are submitted to the appropriate
authorities (EPA, for example) for review and
calculation of MRLs. The MRLs are published to
support use of the chemical, she said.
Import Tolerances
Another tool in use for international trade in food
products is what is called Import Tolerances (IT),
which are available for some but not all countries.
According to Miller, an IT is an MRL based on residue
data developed by a foreign country to facilitate trade.
Countries without an IT process may use CODEX,
an international food standard adopted by the
World Health Organization and Foreign Agriculture
Organization. CODEX develops international food
standards covering a multitude of diets around the
world. CODEX is not a regulatory body. Its standards
are voluntary, including its MRLs, called CXLs.
“CXLs are very important for countries without a
well-developed MRL system,” Miller said.
Countries without an IT may also try to harmonize
their MRLs with other countries, she explained,
“but that rarely works out due to different levels of
sophistication and food safety standards.” Some
product groups negotiate for ITs on their own, which
can be more efficient than working through the
government, she added.
Global Food
Trade Drives
Increased
Food Safety
Monitoring
Essential for commodities to establish
pesticide residue standards
