PESTICIDE RESIDUES SURVEILLANCE IN FOOD

SPECIAL COUNTRY REPORT24TH THAILAND-MALAYSIA BORDER HEALTH GOODWILL COMMITTEE MEETING 2011GOODWILL COMMITTEE MEETING 2011

Presented By: Ong Jean LingSenior Assistant Director, Food Safety & Quality DivisionKedah State Health Department

OBJECTIVE OF THIS PRESENTATION

� To provide an overview of the agencies, legislations and activities involved in the surveillance and monitoring of pesticides residues in food in Malaysia.

� To share the outcome of the pesticide residue monitoring program in year 2010 for domestic market and imported food in the state of Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan.

PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD

� Pesticide residues finds its way into food in a variety of methods during food production.

� They may be used by farmers to control the growth of weeds, or prevent crop damage by insects, rodents and molds. They may be used on food crops rodents and molds. They may be used on food crops after harvest to prolong their storage life.

� Pesticides may also be used on animal farms to control insect pests. Sometimes, small amounts of pesticides used in these ways can be found in or on foods.

PESTICIDE RESIDUE MONITORING ACTIVITIES IN MALAYSIA

� Pesticide residue monitoring activities in Malaysia involves multiple agencies, with Department of Agriculture (DOA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries (MOA) ensuring Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) at the farms and Ministry of Agricultural Practice (GAP) at the farms and Ministry of Health (MOH) enforcing food safety at the point of sale.

PESTICIDE RESIDUE MONITORING ACTIVITIES IN MALAYSIA

� Regulation and enforcement of the Pesticide Act 1974 comes under the Pesticide Board Malaysia, which requires that all pesticides must be registered with the board before it can be imported or manufactured for use in Malaysia.use in Malaysia.

� Ministry of Health has been given the mandate to ensure the safety of food sold in the country under the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985.

LEGISLATION FRAMEWORK

� Legislations enacted to control various aspect of pesticide application in crops and food products are: � The Pesticide Act 1974, which is the principle

legislation for control of pesticides in Malaysia. It is legislation for control of pesticides in Malaysia. It is being implemented by the Pesticide Board of Malaysia which comprises various heads of government agencies.

� The Food Act 1983 of which Sixteenth Schedule of its Food Regulations 1985 prescribe the maximum residue levels (MRL) of pesticide in food.

THE PESTICIDES ACT 1974

� Subsidiary Legislation being enforced:i. Pesticides (Registration) Rules 1976ii. Pesticides (Importation for Research & Education

Purposes) Rules 1981 (Amendment 1987)iii. Pesticides (Labeling) Regulation 1984iii. Pesticides (Labeling) Regulation 1984iv. Pesticides (Licensing For Sale and Storage For

Sale) Rules 1988v. Pesticides (Highly Toxic Pesticides) Regulation

1996, (Amendment 2004)vi. Pesticides (Advertisements) Regulation 1996vii. Pesticides (Pest Control Operators) Rule 2004

THE PESTICIDES BOARD OF MALAYSIA

� Pesticide Control Division, under the Department of Agriculture (DOA), Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries (MOA) serves as the secretariat to the Pesticides Board of Malaysia.

� It’s primary function is to regulate and enforce the � It’s primary function is to regulate and enforce the Pesticide Act 1974.

� The main activities carried out by the Division are registration of pesticide products, licensing of premises, controlling advertisement, issuing import permits for research purposes, regulating the labels and enforcement of the act.

PESTICIDE REGISTRATION

� A new pesticide has to be registered with the Pesticide Board of Malaysia before it can be imported or manufactured for use in Malaysia.

� Objective of registration is to ensure that pesticides � Objective of registration is to ensure that pesticides imported, manufactured, processed, sold and used are of good quality, effective for their intended use and do not cause detrimental effect on human beings, animals, plants, fruits or properties.

FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY DIVISION, MINISTRY OF HEALTH MALAYSIA

� Main Objective

To protect the public against food related hazards as well as to motivate and promote the preparation, handling, distribution, sale and consumption of safe and quality food.

The main activities carried out by the Division are � The main activities carried out by the Division are enforcement of the Food Act 1983, monitoring and research, consumer education, promoting of food safety to the industry and participation in regional and international bodies, agencies and organizations to ensure the needs of a competitive global market are met.

DEFINITION OF PESTICIDE UNDER FOOD ACT 1983

� Under sub-regulation (1), Regulation 41 of Food Regulations 1985, pesticides residue is defined as

a) any preparation used, or capable or purporting to be capable of being used, for preventing the attack of or for destroying –destroying –

i. fungi or other parasitic plants or bacteria that affect or attack plants, fruits, grains, animals or property;

ii. insects or other pest that affect or attack plants, animals or property;

iii. noxious animals or noxious birds, or

iv. weeds or other noxious plants and

b) any substance purporting to be pesticide.

PROVISIONS FOR PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD UNDER FOOD ACT 1983

� Sub-regulation (2), Regulation 41 of Food Regulations 1985 states that no person shall expose, cause or permit to be exposed, any food, excluding water, in the course of its preparation, storage, packaging, delivery, importation or storage, packaging, delivery, importation or exposure for sale, to any pesticide, where such exposure will result in a residue on or in food that is greater than the amount as set out in the Sixteenth Schedule.

PROVISIONS FOR PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD UNDER FOOD ACT 1983

� Sub-regulation (3), Regulation 41 of Food Regulations 1985 states that no person shall import, prepare for sale or sell any food

a) containing pesticide residue in a proportion greater than the proportion specified for that food in relation to that pesticide residue as set out in the Sixteenth Schedule;pesticide residue as set out in the Sixteenth Schedule;

b) containing pesticide residue in a proportion greater than the proportion specified for that food in relation to that pesticide residue as recommended in the Codex Alimentarius, where the pesticide is not specified in the Sixteenth Schedule; or

c) containing more than 0.01 milligram per kilogram of any pesticide residue, where the pesticide is not specified for that food in the Sixteenth Schedule or Codex Alimentarius

LIST OF PESTICIDE UNDER SIXTEENTH SCHEDULE OF FOOD REGULATIONS 1985

� 2,4-D

� Abamctin

� Acephate

� Acetamiprid

� Alachlor

� Ametryn

� Amitraz

Anilofos

� BPMC

� Bromacil

� Bromopropylate

� Buprofezin

� Butocarboxim

� Cadusafos

� Captan

Carbaryl

� Chlorpyrifod

� Cinosulforon

� Clethodim

� Coumaphos

� Cyclosulfamuron

� Cyfluthrin

� Cyhalothrin

Cymoxanil

� Difenoconazole

� Diflubenzuron

� Dimethoate

� Dimethomorph

� Dithiocarbamates

� Diuron

� DSMA

Emamectin benzoate

� Fenpyroximate

� Fenthion

� Fenvalerate

� Fipronil

� Fluazifop-butyl

� Flufenacet

� Flufenixuron

Fluroxypyr� Anilofos

� Atrazine

� Azadirachtin

� Azoxystrobin

� Bendiocarb

� Benomyl

� Bensulfuron-methyl

� Bentazone

� Bispyribac sodium

� Bitertanol

� Carbaryl

� Carbendazim

� Barbofuran

� Carbosulfan

� Cartap

� Chinomethional

� Chlorfenapyr

� Chlorfluzuron

� Chlorimuron ethyl

� Chlorothanil

� Cymoxanil

� Cypermethrin

� Cyproconazole

� Cyromazine

� Deltamethrin

� Diafenthiuron

� Diazinon

� Dicamba

� Dichlovos

� Dicofol

� Emamectin benzoate

� Endisulfan

� EPTC

� Ethixysulfuron

� Etofenprox

� Famaxadone

� Fenapiphos

� Fenitrothion

� Fenoxapro-p-ethyl

� Fenoxycarb

� Fluroxypyr

� Flutolanil

� Formetanate hydrochloride

� Formothion

� Fosetyl aluminium

� Furathiocarb

� Glufosinate amonium

� Glyphosate

� Hexaconazole

� Hexazinox

LIST OF PESTICIDE UNDER SIXTEENTH SCHEDULE OF FOOD REGULATIONS 1985

� Hydrogen Phosphide

� Imazapyr

� Imazethapyr

� Imidachlorprid

� Inorganic bromide

� Iprodione

� Iprovalicard

Isazofos

� Methamidophos

� Methidathion

� Metolachlor

� Metribuzin

� Metsulfuron methyl

� Molinate

� Monocrotophos

MSMA

� Pencycuron

� Pendimethalin

� Permethrin

� Phenthoate

� Phoxim

� Picloram

� Pirimiphos-methyl

� Pyrazosulfuron-ethyl

� Pyrethrum

� Pyridaben

� Quinalphos

� Quinchlorac

� Quintozene

� Quizalofop-ethyl

Sethoxydim

� Thiocyclam-hydrogen oxalate

� Thiometon

� Tolclofos-methyl

� Tralomethrin

� Triadimenol

Triazophos� Isazofos

� Isoprocarb

� Isoprothiolane

� Lufenuron

� Malathion

� MCPS

� Mepronil

� Mercaptodimethur

� Metalaxyl

� Metaldehyde

� MSMA

� MTMC

� Myclobutanil

� Ofurace

� Oxadiargyl

� Oxadiazon

� Oxadixyl

� Oxycarboxin

� Oxyfluorfen

� Paraquat

� Pretilachlor

� Prochloraz

� Profenofos

� Propamocarb

� Propanil

� Propargite

� Propiconazole

� Propoxur

� Prothiofos

� Pymetrozine

� Sethoxydim

� Silafluofen

� Spinosad

� Tebuconazole

� Tebufenozide

� Teflubenzuron

� Terbuthylazine

� Tetradifon

� Thiamethoxam

� Thiobencarb

� Triazophos

� Triadimenol

� Triazophos

� Trichlorfon

� Triclopyr

� Tridemorph

� Triflumuron

� Viclozolin

OFFENCES AND PENALTIES

� Under Section 13 of the Food Act 1983:

1) Any person who prepares or sells any food that has in or upon it any substances which is poisonous, harmful or otherwise injurious is poisonous, harmful or otherwise injurious to health commits an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand ringgit

(RM100,000.00) or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or both

MINISTRY OF HEALTH PESTICIDE RESIDUE MONITORING PROGRAM

� Involves sampling of domestically produced and imported foods and analysis of these foods for pesticide residues.

� Malaysian Ministry of Health establishes monitoring priorities through development of an annual National priorities through development of an annual National Work Plan, which is a comprehensive sampling plan implemented nationwide.

� The sampling plan is designed to give coverage for sampling and analyses of various category food products and testing parameters, including pesticide residue in food items.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH PESTICIDE RESIDUE MONITORING PROGRAM

� Domestic samples are taken from retail outlets in domestic markets such as wet market, supermarkets, hypermarkets, etc. while import samples are taken at the entry points.

Legal action is being taken for cases of violations in � Legal action is being taken for cases of violations in the domestic markets while for food consignments, they are subjected to Level 5 Inspection at the entry point (Hold, Test and Release). If found to contravene, the consignments were sent back to the respective exporting countries.

SCREENING OF PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD ITEMS

� Pesticide residue screening and analysis in food items is being conducted by:

� The Food Safety and Quality Laboratory (FSQL) and the Public Health Laboratories (PHL) under the Ministry of Health (MOH),Health (MOH),

� Department of Chemistry’s Laboratories under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI)

� These laboratories are located at strategic locations in the countries to support surveillance and monitoring activities carried out for the domestic market and imported food.

EXISTING FOOD LABORATORIES UNDER MINISTRY OF HEALTH MALAYSIA

EXISTIING FOOD LABORATORIES UNDER MINISTRY OF HEALTH MALAYSIA

FSQL KELANTAN

(Kota Bahru)

FSQL TERENGGANU

(Kuala Terengganu)

PHL SABAH

(Kota Kinabalu)

FSQL PENANG

FSQL LAKA TEMIN

( Bukit Kayu Hitam)

FSQL PERLIS*

(Kangar)

(Kuala Terengganu)

FSQL PAHANG

(Mentakab)

FSQL SANDAKAN

( Sandakan ) NATIONAL PHL*

(Sg. Buloh)

PHL IPOH

(Butterworth)

FSQL SELANGOR

(Kelang)

PHL JOHORE*

(Johor Bahru)

Note :

FQCL : Food Safety and Quality Laboratory

PHL : Public Health Laboratory

FSQL SARAWAK*

(Kuching)

FSQL Miri

TESTING LABORATORIES

� Testing laboratories are accredited by the Department of Standard’s National Laboratories Accreditation Scheme (Skim Akreditasi MakmalMalasyia - SAMM) for compliance under the ISO/IEC Guide 17025 "General Requirements for ISO/IEC Guide 17025 "General Requirements for the Competence of Calibration and Testing

Laboratories."

SCREENING OF PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD ITEMS

� Four (4) major groups of pesticides being routinely screened are:

� Organophosphorus� e.g. Chlorpyrifos, Diazinon, Fenthion , Tolclofos-methyl, Profenofos,

Methamidophos

� Organochlorine� e.g. Aldrin, Dichloran, Dieldrin, Endrin, Heptachlor

� Synthetic pyrethoid� e.g. Cypermethrin, Cyfluthrin, Fenvalerate, Permenthrin

� Dithiocarbamates� e.g. Cabaryl, Carbofuran, Thiobencarb

COMMON TYPES OF VEGETABLES AND FRUITS SAMPLED FROM ENTRY POINTS IN PERLIS,KEDAH, PERAK & KELANTAN IN YEAR 2010

Types of vegetables Examples

Leafy vegetables Kale, green mustard, spinach, celery

Fruit/Flower vegetables Tomato, cucumber, capsicum, cabbage, eggplant, bitter gourd, gourd, lettuce, broccoli

Tubers Sweet potato, yam

Roots Carrot, asparagus, onion, gingers

Beans, peas and lentils Okra, long beans, peas, winged beans

Others Baby corn, petai, chili pepper, mushrooms

Types of fruits Examples

Citrus Fruits Orange, Pomelo

Assorted tropical and sub-tropical fruits – edible peel

Guava, Lychee, Pineapple, Papaya, Dokong,Longan, Watermelon, Pumpkin

OVERVIEW ON PESTICIDE RESIDUE MONITORING PROGRAM FOR DOMESTIC MARKET FOR 2010

STATE

Number of Samples Taken

Number of

samples

detected with

pesticide

residue

Number of

samples

exceeding

MRL

Rate of

contravention

Frui

ts

Vegeta

ble

s

Oth

er

food

(c

ere

al,

gra

ins,

etc

…)

Tota

l

(cere

al,

gra

ins,

PERLIS 12 91 0 103 1 0 0.00 %

KEDAH 156 352 0 508 10 4 0.79 %

PERAK 113 295 4 412 20 4 0.97 %

KELANTAN 45 332 5 382 4 1 0.26 %

TOTAL 326 1070 4 1405 35 9 0.64 %

OVERVIEW ON PESTICIDE RESIDUE MONITORING PROGRAM FOR IMPORTED FOOD FOR YEAR 2010

STATE

Number of Samples Taken

Number of

samples

detected with

pesticide

residue

Number of

samples

exceeding

MRL

Rate of

contravention

Frui

ts

Vegeta

ble

s

Oth

er

food

(c

ere

al,

gra

ins,

etc

…)

Tota

l

(cere

al,

gra

ins,

PERLIS 234 504 0 738 18 0 0.00 %

KEDAH 91 2348 0 2439 92 6 0.25 %

PERAK 12 32 0 44 4 0 0.00 %

KELANTAN 262 20 0 282 N/A 4 1.41 %

TOTAL 599 2904 0 3503 114 10 0.28 %

CONCLUSION

� Enforcement of pesticide use and control is a coordinated effort amongst government departments and agencies.

� Data from both domestic and imported fresh fruits � Data from both domestic and imported fresh fruits and vegetable shows that fresh produced sold in Malaysia are still safe for consumption.

RECOMMENDATION

� Existing capacities and capability of the laboratories involved in surveillance and monitoring of pesticide residues can be further expanded for increased efficiency and greater coverage of testing parameters. testing parameters.

� Continuous close collaboration among all the enforcement agencies involved is to be maintained and enhanced to ensure the safety and wholesomeness of food products being sold in the country.