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Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for Agricultural Compounds in Food: The Purpose and Procedure for Determining MRLs

NZFSA Public Policy Paper 16/07

December 2007

Online ISBN number 978-0-478-31171-6 ISSN number 1177-7478

Print ISBN number 978-0-478-31170-9 ISSN number 1174-961X

Important Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure the information in this report is accurate.

NZFSA does not accept any responsibility or liability whatsoever for any error of fact, omission, interpretation or opinion that may be present, however it may have occurred.

Further copies

Requests for further copies should be directed to:
New Zealand Food Safety Authority
P O Box 2835
WELLINGTON
Telephone: (04) 894-2500
Fax: (04) 894-2583

Website

A copy of this document can be found at http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/policy-law/consultation/index.htm

Table of Contents

1 Introduction 3

2 Background 4

2.1 What are MRLs? 4

2.2 What is the Legislative Framework? 4

3 How are MRLs set? 6

3.1 Determining the Appropriate Good Agricultural Practice 6

3.1.1 Agricultural Chemicals 6

3.1.2 Veterinary Medicines 8

4 Assessing MRL Proposals 10

4.1 Protection of Public Health 10

4.1.1 Risk Assessment 10

4.1.2 Hazard Identification and Characterisation 11

4.1.3 Exposure Assessment 12

4.1.4 Risk Characterisation 13

4.1.5 Risk Management 14

4.2 Implications for Trade 15

4.3 Consistency with International Food Standards 15

4.4 Implications for International Obligations 15

Appendix 1: Glossary of Terms 17

Relevant Agencies 17

Technical Terms 17

Appendix 2: Establishing an ADI, ADE, or PDE_(food) 19

1 Introduction

Whenever the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) proposes to alter the current edition of the New Zealand (Maximum Residue Limits of Agricultural Compounds) Food Standard (the MRL Standards), an explanation of the proposal and a request for submissions is sent to interested stakeholders and published in major newspapers. This document is intended to provide background information for that consultation process, which happens several times a year. This document covers:

• what MRLs are,

• how MRLs are determined,

• how MRLs are assessed (e.g. so public health is protected), and

• how the MRL Standards work.

Submission made on behalf of an organisation should include the position within the organisation of the person making or signing the submission, and an indication of the extent of consultation, discussion and support within the organisation for the opinions and advice expressed.

If you wish to request a change to the level of a proposed MRL or suggest other amendments to the proposal, please provide justification and technical data in support of your argument. All submissions are considered and analysed before a recommendation is made to the Minister for Food Safety, who makes the final decision on issuing the MRL Standards. Relevant new information received by NZFSA may alter the advice given to the Minister for Food Safety.

You can find out whether any new MRLs are currently being proposed, and the closing date for submissions, by checking the ‘Consultation’ page of the ‘Policy & Law’ section of the NZFSA website (www.nzfsa.govt.nz/policy-law/consultation/index.htm), or by contacting NZFSA directly.

All submissions are subject to the Official Information Act 1982. Therefore, if you consider that all or part of your submission should be treated as confidential, please make this clear when making your submission. Submissions should be sent to:

MRL Amendments

Policy Group

New Zealand Food Safety Authority

PO Box 2835, WELLINGTON

Email: policy@nzfsa.govt.nz,

Facsimile: (04) 894 2583, Phone 04 894 2500