Are the residues of particular herbicides higher in foods derived from herbicide-tolerant crops?
Answer Agricultural chemicals such as herbicides can only legally be used if the chemical has been registered for use in Australia by the NRA and/or New Zealand by ERMA, and it has been demonstrated that any residue, at specified levels, does not lead to adverse health impacts. The concentration of a chemical residue that may be present in a food is regulated through setting maximum residue limits (MRLs) in the Food Standards Code. The MRL is the highest residue concentration that is legally permitted in the food commodity type and applies equally to GM or conventional food crops. The MRL is based on safety data and the registered conditions of use of that chemical in conjunction with a specific commodity. In practice, residual levels of a chemical present in a food may be well below the MRL. It is important to note that MRLs are not direct public health and safety limits but rather, are primarily indicators of appropriate agricultural usage. MRLs are always set at levels lower than, a
