[Updated] Australia’s Newly Revised MRLs in 2024: APVMA Amends the Schedule 20

On December 10, 2024, APVMA issued Gazette No 25, announcing an amendment to the Schedule 20. The amendment takes effect on the date of publication.

Major revisions involve 5 compounds, with changes to a series of associated MRL items, which include revisions, additions, or removals for food commodities. Examples are listed below:

Notes: Asterisk (*) indicates that the MRL is set at the limit of determination/analytical quantification (the lowest level that can be reliably detected). A ‘T’ denotes that the MRL is temporary to enable further experimental work to be carried out in Australia or overseas, and will be reconsidered at some future date.

On December 5, 2024, Australian government issued Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (MRL Standard for Residues of Chemical Products) Amendment Instrument (No. 5) 2024, to amend the MRL standard, which takes effect with immediate effect.

Major revisions involve 13 compounds, with changes to a series of associated MRL items, which include revisions, additions, or removals for food commodities. Examples are listed below:

Notes: Asterisk (*) indicates that the MRL is set at the limit of determination/analytical quantification (the lowest level that can be reliably detected). A ‘T’ denotes that the MRL is temporary to enable further experimental work to be carried out in Australia or overseas, and will be reconsidered at some future date.

In addition, residue definitions, MRLs in animal feed commodities and MRLs not necessary are changed as well in this amendment.

On November 8, 2024, Australian government issued Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (MRL Standard for Residues of Chemical Products) Amendment Instrument (No. 4) 2024 to amend the MRL standard, which takes effect with immediate effect.

Major revisions involve 7 compounds, with changes to a series of associated MRL items, which include revisions, additions, or removals for food commodities. Examples are listed below:

Notes: Asterisk (*) indicates that the MRL is set at the limit of determination/analytical quantification (the lowest level that can be reliably detected). A ‘T’ denotes that the MRL is temporary to enable further experimental work to be carried out in Australia or overseas, and will be reconsidered at some future date.

In addition, residue definitions, MRLs in animal feed commodities and MRLs not necessary are changed as well in this amendment.

On October 29, 2024, APVMA issued Gazette No 20, announcing an amendment to the Schedule 20. The amendment takes effect on the date of publication.

Major Changes

 (1) 18 new MRL items are added for 7 listed compounds for food commodities. Examples are shown below:

Notes: Asterisk (*) indicates that the MRL is set at the limit of determination/analytical quantification (the lowest level that can be reliably detected). A ‘T’ denotes that the MRL is temporary to enable further experimental work to be carried out in Australia or overseas, and will be reconsidered at some future date.

(2) For 7 compounds, a series of MRL items are revised or removed for food commodities. Examples are shown below:

On September 17 2024, APVMA issued Gazette No 19, announcing an amendment to the MRL Standard. The amendment takes effect from September 13, 2024.

Major Changes

(1) 2 new MRL items are added for 2 listed compounds for food commodities.

Notes: Asterisk (*) indicates that the MRL is set at the limit of determination/analytical quantification (the lowest level that can be reliably detected). A ‘T’ denotes that the MRL is temporary to enable further experimental work to be carried out in Australia or overseas, and will be reconsidered at some future date.

(2) For 3 compounds, a series of MRL items are revised for food commodities. Examples are shown below:

(3) MRLs in animal feed commodities and MRLs not necessary are changed as well in this amendment.

On August 6, 2024, APVMA issued Gazette No 16, announcing an amendment to Schedule 20 of the Australian New Zealand Food Standards Code, which takes effect on the gazettal date. The change is listed below:

On July 6, 2024, Australian government issued Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (MRL Standard for Residues of Chemical Products) Amendment Instrument (No. 2) 2024, to amend the MRL standard, which takes effect with immediate effect.

Major revisions involve 27 compounds, with changes to a series of associated MRL itemss, which include revisions, additions, or removals for food commodities. Examples are listed below:

Notes: Asterisk (*) indicates that the MRL is set at the limit of determination/analytical quantification (the lowest level that can be reliably detected).

On April 16, 2024, APVMA issued Gazette No 8, announcing an amendment to Schedule 20 of the Australian New Zealand Food Standards Code, which takes effect on the gazettal date.

Major Changes

(1) 2 compounds and 16 associated MRL items are added for food commodities. Examples are listed below:

Notes: Asterisk (*) indicates that the MRL is set at the limit of determination/analytical quantification (the lowest level that can be reliably detected).

(2) For 32 compounds, a series of MRL items are revised, added or removed for food commodities. Examples are shown below:

Notes: A ‘T’ denotes that the MRL is temporary to enable further experimental work to be carried out in Australia or overseas, and will be reconsidered at some future date.

On March 5, 2024, APVMA issued Gazette No 5, announcing an amendment to the MRL Standard. The amendment takes effect from March 1, 2024.

Major Changes

(1) 2 compounds and 8 accociated MRL items are added for food commodities.

(2) 5 new MRL items are added for 4 listed compounds for food commodities.

Notes: A ‘T’ denotes that the MRL is temporary to enable further experimental work to be carried out in Australia or overseas, and will be reconsidered at some future date.

(3) For 7 compounds, a series of MRL items are revised or removed for food commodities. Examples are shown below:

(4) Residue definitions and MRLs in animal feed commodities are changed as well in this amendment.

On February 23, 2024, FSANZ published Amendment No. 226 to amend the Food Standards Code. The most prominent revision is the change of maximum residue limits (MRLs) in Schedule 20. The amendment takes effect immediately.

Major changes

(1) 4 chemicals and their corresponding MRLs are removed, including Bensulide, Bioresmethrin, Fenarimol and Pebulate. In addition, a series of MRL items for 45 chemicals, such as Azoxystrobin, Benalaxyl and Bendiocarb, are removed in this amendment.

(2) 4 chemicals are newly added, namely, Flutianil, Isoprothiolane, Pyraziflumid, and Spiropidion, which have 26 MRL items in total. Some examples are listed in the table below.

(3) A great number of new MRL items are added for 66 listed chemicals. Part of the chemicals are shown in the table below.

(4) For 96 listed chemicals, the amount of MRLs and the names of food commodities containing them are changed. Some examples are listed in the table below.

Notes: Asterisk (*) indicates that the MRL is set at the limit of determination/analytical quantification (the lowest level that can be reliably detected).