India proposes residue limits for two pesticides in tea
India’s food regulator has proposed maximum tea residue limits of 20 milligrams per kilogram for acetamiprid and 50 milligrams per kilogram for imidacloprid. The draft is subject to finalisation.
Event / data period: 2026-10-16
Published: · Updated:

The amendment was published in the Gazette of India on 16 October. FSSAI said the proposed benchmarks draw on scientific assessments and international practices and are intended to support monitoring and enforcement. Its release compared the proposed 20 ppm acetamiprid limit with 30 ppm in Japan and 50 ppm in the United States.
The draft does not yet establish new limits in force. FSSAI invited stakeholder comments before the proposed regulations are finalised.
Data
Proposed pesticide residue limits for tea
The FSSAI draft proposes maximum residue levels for two pesticides in tea; the figures are not yet final rules.
| Acetamiprid | 20 | Proposed in draft; pending finalisation |
| Imidacloprid | 50 | Proposed in draft; pending finalisation |
Methodology
FSSAI’s October 17 release explicitly states the October 16 draft values as 20 mg/kg (20 ppm) for acetamiprid and 50 mg/kg (50 ppm) for imidacloprid. The table uses the source-stated ppm values without an independent conversion. These are draft limits, not final rules.
Updated:
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- HealthSuggested
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