Social Sustainability

Maximum Residue Limit (MRL)

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Definition

A maximum residue limit is the highest level of a pesticide residue, expressed in milligrams per kilogram, that is legally tolerated in or on food or feed when a pesticide is applied according to good agricultural practice. MRLs are set from supervised field trials and checked against toxicological reference values (acceptable daily intake and acute reference dose); Codex Alimentarius establishes international MRLs that guide trade.

References

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This reference provides supporting context for how “Maximum Residue Limit (MRL)” is defined and used.

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Source imported for editorial provenance.

Overview

How it is used

Regulators (e. g. , the EU, US EPA, Codex) set and revise MRLs; food businesses test supply chains against them; import controls check consignments at borders.

Why it matters

MRLs are the operational link between pesticide regulation and what consumers actually eat, and a key mechanism by which food safety standards travel through global supply chains.