Summary: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a draft notification dated 15 October 2026 proposing amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011. The notification, bearing F. No. SS-T0SP02(NOTI)/1/2025-Standard-FSSAI, was published in the Official Gazette dated 16 October 2026. It proposes introducing specific Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for two pesticides, Acetamiprid and Imidacloprid, in tea. The draft has been issued under clauses (i) and (j) of Section 92(2) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with the previous approval of the Central Government, and published for stakeholder consultation under Section 92(1) of the Act.
The proposed amendment concerns Regulation 2.3, relating to residues, and specifically sub-regulation 2.3.1 of the existing regulations. Under the proposal, a new entry for tea would be inserted against serial number 3 relating to Acetamiprid, prescribing an MRL of 20 mg/kg. Similarly, an entry for tea would be inserted against serial number 103 relating to Imidacloprid, prescribing an MRL of 50 mg/kg. These proposed limits are intended to establish specific regulatory residue thresholds for the two pesticides in tea. The amendment is confined to the identified entries and does not replace the other existing residue limits prescribed under the regulations.
The draft forms part of the continuing development of India’s food safety framework governing contaminants, toxins and pesticide residues in food products. The principal regulations were originally notified on 1 August 2011 and have undergone subsequent amendments. The proposed tea-specific limits would be relevant to tea producers, processors, manufacturers, traders, exporters, testing laboratories and other stakeholders involved in the tea supply chain. Once finalised and brought into effect, the prescribed MRLs would provide measurable limits for evaluating pesticide residues in tea under the applicable regulatory framework.
FSSAI has invited objections and suggestions from persons likely to be affected by the proposed regulations. Representations may be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Food and Drug Administration Bhawan, Kotla Road, New Delhi–110002, or submitted by email to [email protected]. The draft regulations will be considered after the expiry of 60 days from the date on which copies of the Gazette containing the notification are made available to the public. Objections and suggestions received within the specified period will be considered by FSSAI. Since the notification contains draft regulations, the proposed MRLs should not be treated as newly enforceable limits until the appropriate final regulations are notified and become effective.
FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF INDIA
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 15th October, 2026
F. No. SS-T0SP02(NOTI)/1/2025-Standard-FSSAI.—The following draft of certain regulations, further to amend the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011, which the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, with previous approval of the Central Government, proposes to make in exercise of the powers conferred by clauses (i) and (j) of sub-section (2) of section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (34 of 2006) is hereby published as required under sub-section (1) of section 92 of the said Act for the information of all persons likely to be affected thereby; and notice is hereby given that the said draft regulations shall be taken into consideration after the expiry of the period of sixty days from the date on which copies of the Gazette containing this notification is published are made available to the public.
Objections or suggestions, if any, may be addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Food and Drug Administration Bhawan, Kotla Road, New Delhi- 110002 or sent on email at [email protected].
Objections and suggestions, which may be received with respect to the said draft regulations before the expiry of the period so specified, shall be considered by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
Draft Regulations
1. These regulations may be called the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Amendment Regulations, 2026.
2. In the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011, in Regulation 2.3 relating to ‘Residues’, in sub-regulation 2.3.1, in the Table, –
(1) against serial number ‘3’ relating to Acetamiprid, in columns (3) and (4), after the existing entries, the following entries shall be inserted, namely: –
| Food | Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) mg/kg |
|---|---|
| (3) | (4) |
| “Tea | 20”; |
(2) against serial number ‘103’ relating to Imidacloprid, in columns (3) and (4), after the existing entries, the following entries shall be inserted, namely: –
| Food | Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) mg/kg |
|---|---|
| (3) | (4) |
| “Tea | 50”. |
RAJIT PUNHANI, Chief Executive Officer
[ADVT.-III/4/Exty./400/2026-27]
Note: The principal regulations were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part III, Section 4 vide notification number F. No. 2-15015/30/2010, dated the 1st August, 2011 and last amended vide notification number F.No. 01/SP -02/S&S/NotificationContaminants/2021-22, dated the 14th May, 2026.
