South Korea Revises Food Code: Updating Pesticide Residue Requirements

On November 24, 2021, the Ministry of Food and Drug (MFDS) modified Food Code (MFDS Notice No. 2021-97)¹. The amendments mainly focus on the pesticide residue requirements. The new regulation will be effective on January 1, 2022.

1. Deleting 45 Pesticides' Temporary Residue Standards

The authority deleted the temporary residual standards of unregistered pesticides. 45 foreign pesticides are involved, they are:

Meptyldinocap, Dimethoate, Diquat, Myclobutanil, Malathion, Methomyl, Metalaxyl, Methamidophos, Methoprene, Metribuzin, Cyhalothrin, Ethion, Omethoate, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, Cartap, Captan, Quizalofop-ethyl, Chlormequat, Chlorpropham, Tetradifon, Triadimenol, Triazophos, Triforine, Thiabendazole, Thiobencarb, Parathion-Methyl, Permethrin, Fenoxaprop-ethyl, Pendimethalin, Fenbutatin Oxide, Penconazole, Phosme, Fluazifop-butyl, Procymidone, Propamocarb, Pirimiphos-methyl, Piperonyl butoxide, Hexazinone, Diafenthiuron, Silafluofen, Fosetyl-aluminium, Phthalide, Clothianidin, Fluroxypyr, and Hydrogen cyanide.

The target agricultural foods related to the above pesticide residues are:

Pesticides	Agricultural Foods
Meptyldinocap	Remaining in: Melon, pear, peach, apple, apricot, watermelon, pumpkin.
Dimethoate	Remaining in: Citrus fruits, potato, chili pepper, carrot, soybean, pulses, strawberry, melon, cotton seed, radish(root), radish(leaves), wheat, banana, pear, apricot, celery, sorghum, spinach, cabbages, cucumber, maize, pea, plum, cheery, kale, tomato, grape, sweet pepper, pecan, hop.
Diquat	Remaining in: Cotton seed, wheat, barley, sorghum, rice, onion (bulb), maize, vegetables, sunflower seed.
	……

(For complete information of pesticide residual limit amendments, please contact us at contact@chemlinked.com.)

ChemLinked Notes:

As per Article 3 under Chapter 2 of Food Code¹, the residue tolerance shall be no more than 0.01 mg/kg for the pesticide without specified maximum residual limits . Therefore, after the new regulation comes into effect on January 1, 2022, the above-deleted pesticide residues in the relevant agricultural foods shall be less than 0.01 mg/kg respectively.

2. Amending the Maximum Residual Limits (MRLs) of 33 Pesticides

The detailed changes of the MRLs in the 33 pesticides are specified below:

Pesticide	MRLs changes (mg/kg)
Iminoctadine	Plum: 0.5^T -> 0.3
Malathion	Maize: 2.0^T-> 0.03⁺ Walnut: 2.0^T -> 0.05⁺
Bifenthrin	Fig: 0.3^T -> 0.2
Cypermethrin	Citrus fruits: 2.0^T -> 0.3⁺ Sorghum: 1.0^T -> 0.5⁺ Tomato: 0.5^T -> 0.15⁺ Pumpkin: 5.0^T -> 0.05 Oil seed: 0.1^†(Newly added)
Cyfluthrin	Citrus fruits: 2.0^T -> 0.2⁺ Pulses: 0.5^T -> 0.15⁺ Wheat: 2.0^T -> 0.15⁺ Peach: 1.0^T -> 0.4⁺ Plum: 1.0^T -> 0.15⁺ Cherry: 1.0^T -> 0.6⁺
2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)	Blueberry: 0.05^T -> 0.03⁺
Imidacloprid	Cabbages: 0.5^T -> 0.05
Iprodione	Broccoli: 25^T -> 7.0
Carbendazim	Lemon: 1.0^T -> 0.7⁺
Cartap)	Mustard green: 5.0^T -> 1.5 Chard: 5.0^T -> 1.5 Amaranth leaves: 5.0^T -> 1.5 Pak-choi: 5.0^T -> 1.5 Chicory(leaves): 5.0^T -> 1.5
(Paraquat)	Rice: 0.5^T -> 0.05⁺ Maize: 0.1^T -> 0.03⁺
Fenitrothion)	Korean black raspberry: 0.3^T -> 0.07 Blueberry: 1.0^T -> 0.05
(Pendimethalin)	Cotton seed: 0.1^T -> 0.05⁺ Tomato: 0.2^T -> 0.05⁺
Fenpropathrin)	Deodeok: 0.2^T -> 0.05
Phoxim)	Lettuce(leaves: 0.1^T -> 0.05
Propargite)	Tea: 5.0^T -> 4.0⁺
Tebufenozide)	Schisandraberry: 1.0^T -> 0.3
Fenazaquin)	Citrus fruits: 0.4⁺ (Newly added)
Diethofencarb)	Aronia: 2.0^T -> 1.0
(Pyriproxyfen)	Chard 5.0^T-> 3.0 Giant butterbur: 5.0^T -> 3.0 Slender-leaf: 5.0^T -> 3.0 Chicory(leaves): 5.0^T -> 3.0 Parsley: 5.0^T -> 3.0
Etoxazole)	Goji berry: 0.3^T -> 0.1
Famoxadone)	Leaf mustard: 1.0^T -> 0.05
Indoxacarb	Kohlrabi: 2.0^T -> 0.2
Trifloxystrobin	Burdock: 0.1^T -> 0.05
Thiamethoxam	Sweet potato: 0.1^T-> 0.05 Deodeok: 0.1^T-> 0.07
Thiacloprid	Beet(root): 0.1^T -> 0.07
Flumioxazin	Hop 0.1^T -> 0.05⁺
Pyraclostrobin	Sorghum: 0.5^T -> 0.3
Flonicamid	Mulberry: 0.5^T -> 0.2
Cyenopyrafen	Fig: 1.0^T -> 0.5
Spinetoram	Fig: 0.2^T -> 0.1
Amisulbrom	Burdock: 0.2^T -> 0.05
Fenpyrazamine	Mulberry: 2.0^T -> 1.5

Notes

1) Agricultural products marked with “+” are agricultural products whose residual limit standard is set at the request of the exporting country. When the products meet the bar, they are approved for importing to S. Korea.

2) Residual limit standards marked with “^T” are interim standards.