Pesticide Residue Testing in Food in India
Indian food exports face increasing rejection at EU, US, and Japanese borders due to pesticide residue violations. One failed shipment can cost more than a year of testing — in product value, detention, demurrage, and lost buyer relationships. Auriga Research provides NABL-accredited multi-residue pesticide screening for 400+ compounds by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS, with FSSAI MRL, EU MRL, and Japan Positive List compliance in a single analytical run.
Our scope covers organochlorines, organophosphates, synthetic pyrethroids, carbamates, neonicotinoids, triazole fungicides, herbicides (glyphosate / AMPA by LC-MS/MS), ethylene oxide (treated as a pesticide in the EU) and 2-chloroethanol, anthraquinone in tea, and the QuEChERS extraction protocol per EN 15662 validated across fruits, vegetables, cereals, spices, tea, coffee, sesame, groundnuts, and processed foods. For exporters, a single CoA reports FSSAI MRL, EU MRL (Regulation EC 396/2005), Japan Positive List, Codex, and US EPA 40 CFR Part 180 limits together — so domestic and destination compliance are confirmed in one round.
Backed by the Arbro Group's analytical heritage — Arbro Lab since 1990, Auriga Research since 2007 — with NABL ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, our reports are accepted by FSSAI licensing officers, APEDA Export Inspection Agencies, EIC, and international buyers across EU, GCC, ASEAN, Japan, US, and African markets.
Pesticide Residue Testing Capabilities
Each capability is mapped to its analytical method and the regulatory framework it supports — so agri-export QA, FSSAI compliance, and destination-market certification teams can scope at a glance.
Multi-Residue Screening
Single GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS run covering 400+ active substances — organochlorines, organophosphates, pyrethroids, carbamates, neonicotinoids, triazoles, strobilurins, and acaricides.
QuEChERS Extraction
Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction per EN 15662 — validated for fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses, spices, tea, sesame, and processed foods.
FSSAI MRL Compliance
Reporting against FSS (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations 2011 pesticide-commodity MRLs, with Codex fallback where FSSAI is silent.
EU MRL Compliance
Reporting against EU Regulation (EC) 396/2005 harmonised MRLs — including chlorpyrifos zero tolerance (0.01 ppm default), tricyclazole 0.01 ppm in rice, anthraquinone in tea.
Japan Positive List System
Japan's Positive List MRLs for 800+ pesticides with 0.01 ppm uniform default for non-listed combinations — explicit Japan PL compliance statement on CoA for sesame, rice, tea, and spice exporters.
US EPA Tolerance Reporting
Reporting against US EPA 40 CFR Part 180 tolerances for shipments to the United States — combined with FDA enforcement priorities.
Codex Alimentarius MRL
Codex Alimentarius MRL benchmarking for international buyer documentation and where destination-country MRLs are not separately notified.
Glyphosate & AMPA
Glyphosate, AMPA, and glufosinate by LC-MS/MS — essential for cereal exports under EU 0.10 ppm MRL and US-specific tolerances.
Anthraquinone in Tea
Anthraquinone in tea by GC-MS/MS — the most common EU rejection cause for Indian tea exports at the 0.02 ppm MRL.
Ethylene Oxide & 2-CE
Ethylene oxide (EtO) and its metabolite 2-chloroethanol (2-CE) by GC-MS/MS — treated as a pesticide residue in the EU with 0.05–0.1 mg/kg MRLs for spices and sesame.
Targeted Single-Residue
High-sensitivity targeted analysis for individual pesticides at sub-ppb LOQs when investigation or commodity-specific rejection root cause requires it.
Pre-Shipment Certification
Destination-market pre-shipment certification — single CoA reports FSSAI, EU, Japan PL, and Codex limits together so exporters get domestic and destination compliance in one round.
How It Works
Get a Quote
Share your product type and the parameters you need tested. Your dedicated SPOC will confirm the testing scope, the applicable method, and the exact sample quantity required for your specific panel before you dispatch anything.
Send Your Sample
Dispatch your sample with a completed Test Request Form to the nearest Auriga lab. Each sample is individually bar coded and registered in YLIMS, Auriga's in-house Laboratory Information Management System, upon receipt. Testing begins within 24 hours of sample registration.
Testing and QA Review
Your sample is tested against the confirmed validated method by Auriga's scientific team. Every result passes through a formal internal QA review and sign-off before the report is generated.
Receive Your NABL Report
Your NABL-accredited test report is delivered digitally within the committed turnaround time. Reports carry Auriga's NABL accreditation under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and are accepted by FSSAI, APEDA, EIC, and major international buyers. You can track your sample status in real time through YLIMS at any point in the process.
Turnaround Time
| Panel | Standard TAT | Express |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-residue screening (400+ pesticides, GC-MS/MS + LC-MS/MS) | 7–10 business days | Available (3–5 days) |
| Targeted single-residue analysis | 5–7 business days | Available |
| Glyphosate / AMPA / glufosinate by LC-MS/MS | 7–10 business days | Available |
| Ethylene oxide / 2-chloroethanol (EU rejection driver) | 7–10 business days | Available |
| Anthraquinone in tea (EU 0.02 ppm MRL) | 7–10 business days | Available |
| Export-compliance package (FSSAI + EU + Japan PL CoA) | 10–12 business days | On request |
Who Needs This Testing
- Agri-commodity exporters shipping spices, rice, sesame, groundnuts, tea, and coffee to EU, GCC, ASEAN, Japan, and US markets — where a single MRL exceedance can block a 40-foot container.
- Fresh produce exporters shipping grapes, mango, pomegranate, okra, bitter gourd, and curry leaves where multi-residue exceedance is the dominant rejection cause.
- Herbal and nutraceutical exporters needing pesticide screening for WHO Good Agricultural and Collection Practice (GACP) compliance and EU Food Supplements Directive 2002/46/EC requirements.
- Domestic FSSAI licensees in food manufacturing needing batch release and supplier QA against the FSS (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations 2011 MRLs.
- D2C food and beverage brands launching on Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, Zepto, and BigBasket where pesticide screening is a listing prerequisite for fresh produce, dry fruits, and tea.
- Tea estate operators, exporters, and packers needing anthraquinone, ethylene oxide, and neonicotinoid screening against EU MRLs.
- Basmati and aromatic rice exporters managing tricyclazole at the EU 0.01 ppm default MRL — the single largest rejection cause for Indian rice exports.
- Importers and buyer-side QA verifying that incoming agri-commodities and processed foods meet declared MRL specifications before storage and onward distribution.
Why Auriga for Pesticide Residue Testing
NABL-accredited GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS in-house
Two reference platforms on the same lab floor — GC-MS/MS for non-polar volatiles (organochlorines, organophosphates, pyrethroids); LC-MS/MS for polar compounds (carbamates, neonicotinoids, sulfonylureas, triazoles).
400+ pesticides in a single run
QuEChERS extraction per EN 15662 followed by simultaneous multi-residue acquisition — one sample preparation, two instruments, full destination-market coverage.
FSSAI + EU + Japan PL compliance in a single report
A single CoA reports FSSAI (FSS Regulations 2011), EU MRL (EC 396/2005), Japan Positive List, Codex, and US EPA 40 CFR Part 180 limits together — exporters get domestic and destination compliance in one round of testing.
APEDA recognised
Reports accepted by APEDA Export Inspection Agencies for dispatch certification of agricultural and processed food products to EU, GCC, ASEAN, and African markets.
Targeted detection at sub-ppb LOQs
High-sensitivity single-residue analysis (glyphosate / AMPA, tricyclazole, anthraquinone, ethylene oxide) at sub-ppb limits of quantification — critical for the destination-default 0.01 ppm regime.
Arbro Group analytical heritage
Established analytical heritage through the Arbro Group (Arbro Lab since 1990, Auriga Research since 2007), with NABL ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation — the audit trail FSSAI, APEDA, EIC, and international buyers look for in a residue testing partner.