India, April 24 -- Data for changing the permissible limit should have been provided, they say

Much to the outrage of activists and scientists, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) increased the maximum residue limit (MRL) of pesticides in herbs and spices by a whopping 10 times.

The order dated April 8, 2024, revealed that the MRL of pesticides has increased substantially from 0.01 milligrammes per kilogramme (mg / kg) to 0.1 mg / kg. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defined MRL as the highest legally tolerable level of pesticide in food or animal feed.

Amit Khurana, programme director of sustainable food systems at the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, told Down to Earth (DTE) , if the FSSAI is...