China Prohibits the Use of Three Pesticides on Bean Sprouts

On 13 Apr 2015, three governments including CFDA, MOA and NHFPC jointly reiterate to ban the use of the following three pesticides in bean sprout:

1. 6-Benzylaminopurine

2. Sodium parachlorophenoxy

3. Gibberellin

The three substances as toxic pesticides are subject to registration and have limited application scope which excludes use on bean sprouts. However, in the meantime, there are other regulatory rules leaving the room for allowing them on bean sprouts. To solve the dispute, three government departments reached consensus and issued the blank ban.

The ban highly accords with principles regarding pesticides mentioned in the China's new food safety law issued on 24 Apr 2015 (see CL Food News). Under the new Law, the use of pesticide will be strictly regulated. The government propels the industry to weed out pesticides that are hyper toxic, highly toxic and high-persistent. Pesticides with opposite features are encouraged to be applied. Moreover, hyper and highly toxic pesticides are banned to be used in vegetables, fruit and melons, tea and Chinese medicinal herbs.