Food safety & agriculture
Maximum Residue Level (MRL)
The highest concentration of a pesticide residue legally tolerated in or on food or feed when the pesticide is applied according to Good Agricultural Practice.
Definition
A maximum residue level (MRL) is the highest level of a pesticide residue legally tolerated in or on food or feed when pesticides are applied correctly following Good Agricultural Practice. In the EU, MRLs are set under Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 for all agricultural products, with a general default of 0.01 mg/kg where no specific level exists; EFSA assesses consumer risk, and Codex Alimentarius sets international MRLs (CXLs) used in trade.
References
definition, Good Agricultural Practice basis, 0.01 mg/kg default
regulatory framework, EFSA role, Codex CXL relationship
Overview
What it means
MRLs are market-access standards: produce exceeding them cannot legally be sold. They reflect authorised use patterns and toxicological safety, and import tolerances extend them to residues from uses legal only in exporting countries — a live trade-policy issue.
How it is used
Farmers follow label rates and pre-harvest intervals to comply; enforcement laboratories test consignments; exporters to the EU and elsewhere must certify compliance.
Why it matters
MRLs are the operational line between agricultural productivity and consumer safety, and a flashpoint in debates over pesticide reduction, trade fairness and the transition to sustainable crop protection.
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