Japan: MRLs Update

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan has notified the World Trade Organization of the “Revision of the Standards and Specifications for Foods and Food Additives under the Food Sanitation Act (revision of agricultural chemical residue standards)”.As for nuts and dried fruits, the document proposes changes to the following maximum residue levels (MRL):The MRL for clofentezine in peanuts is lowered from 0.05 ppm to 0.01 ppm; in cranberry is lowered from 0.2 ppm to 0.01 ppm; in dates is lowered from 0.02 ppm to 0.01 ppm; in nuts is increased and set at 0.5 ppm; in apricot and prune is increased from 0.2 ppm to 0.5 ppm; and in grape is increased from 1 ppm to 2 ppm.The MRL for fludioxonil in peanuts is increased from 0.4 ppm to 0.5 ppm.The MRL for prohexadione-calcium in peanuts is increased from 0.6 ppm to 1 ppm; in apricot, prune, cranberry, and date is lowered from 2 ppm to 0.01 ppm; and in pecan, almond, walnut and other nuts is lowered from 0.05 ppm to 0.01 ppm.The MRL for abamectin in peanuts is lowered from 0.01 ppm to 0.005 ppm.The deadline for comments is June 12, 2017.For further information, please contact us at inc@nutfruit.org.