Pesticide Residue Testing in Herbal & AYUSH Products
A single pesticide-residue failure at port of entry can mean a rejected consignment and an EU import alert. Auriga Research provides NABL-accredited pesticide residue testing in herbal products using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS for multi-residue screening of 200+ pesticides — organochlorines, organophosphates, pyrethroids, carbamates, neonicotinoids, and triazoles — in raw herbs, extracts, and finished Ayurvedic, Unani, and Siddha formulations.
As the first herbal testing laboratory in India to be licensed by the Directorate of ISM&H, backed by the Arbro Group's unbroken NABL accreditation since 2003, Auriga is a long-established reference lab for the AYUSH sector — testing against WHO, FSSAI, European Pharmacopoeia 2.8.13, and EU EC 396/2005 frameworks and stating clearly which limit basis applies to your market.
Which pesticide limits apply to you?
India does not currently have AYUSH-specific pesticide MRL notifications. Domestic AYUSH manufacturers typically reference FSSAI limits or the WHO Guidelines on Pesticide Residues in Medicinal Plants. Exporters to the EU must comply with Regulation EC 396/2005 MRLs — applying the default 0.01 mg/kg where no specific MRL is set — and the European Pharmacopoeia 2.8.13 method. Auriga tests against all applicable frameworks and states which basis applies on your report.
Pesticide Residue Testing Parameters
Each pesticide class and standard is mapped to its method / framework so AYUSH QA and export teams can match scope to the applicable MRL basis at a glance.
200+ Pesticides
Single-run multi-residue screen by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS covering 200+ compounds.
Organochlorines
DDT, BHC, aldrin, dieldrin, endosulfan, HCB.
Organophosphates
Chlorpyrifos, malathion, diazinon, parathion.
Pyrethroids
Cypermethrin, deltamethrin, permethrin, bifenthrin.
Carbamates
Carbofuran, carbaryl, methomyl.
Neonicotinoids & Triazoles
Imidacloprid, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, and triazole fungicides.
EU Pharmacopoeia Panel
European Pharmacopoeia chapter 2.8.13 pesticide-residue panel for herbal drugs.
WHO Guidelines
WHO Guidelines on Pesticide Residues in Medicinal Plants reference limits.
EU MRLs
EU MRL Regulation EC 396/2005 — default 0.01 mg/kg applied where no specific MRL is set.
Domestic Reference
FSSAI MRLs as the domestic reference, since AYUSH-specific MRLs are not yet notified.
How It Works
Get a Quote
Share your product type, the botanical(s) involved, and your target market (domestic AYUSH / FSSAI, or EU / US export). Your dedicated SPOC confirms the pesticide panel, the applicable MRL basis (FSSAI / WHO / EC 396/2005 / Ph. Eur. 2.8.13), and the exact sample quantity before you dispatch anything.
Send Your Sample
Dispatch your sample with a completed Test Request Form and the botanical name 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 extracted (QuEChERS, validated for botanical matrices) and screened by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS for 200+ pesticides by Auriga's scientific team. Every detection is confirmed and compared against the applicable MRL basis, and the result passes 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, state the MRL basis applied for your market, and are accepted for Ministry of AYUSH, FSSAI, and EU export submissions. You can track sample status in real time through YLIMS.
Turnaround Time
| Service | Standard TAT | Express |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-residue screen (200+ by GC-MS/MS + LC-MS/MS) | 7–10 business days | Available |
| Targeted OC / OP panel | 5–7 business days | Available |
| European Pharmacopoeia 2.8.13 panel | 10–12 business days | On request |
| EU export panel (EC 396/2005 basis) | 7–10 business days | Available |
| Combined heavy-metals + pesticide export panel | 10–12 business days | On request |
Who Needs Pesticide Residue Testing
- AYUSH-licensed manufacturers needing pesticide-residue data for product compliance and GMP release.
- Herbal exporters to the EU needing European Pharmacopoeia 2.8.13 and EC 396/2005 compliance.
- Organic herb and spice exporters substantiating pesticide-free / organic claims.
- Nutraceutical brands with herbal ingredient sourcing meeting FSSAI MRLs.
- Raw-herb growers and aggregators screening material from different growing regions.
- Contract manufacturers and white-label suppliers certifying finished formulations.
- D2C and e-commerce herbal brands needing batch compliance for marketplace listing.
- Importers verifying herbal raw material before India sale or re-export.
- Ayurvedic exporters to the US and other regulated markets needing surveillance-ready data.
- Brands contesting an import-alert or marketplace pesticide finding with accredited data.
Why Auriga for Pesticide Residue Testing
First herbal lab licensed by the Directorate of ISM&H
Auriga was the first herbal testing laboratory in India to be licensed by the Directorate of ISM&H — a long-established reference lab the AYUSH sector trusts.
GC-MS/MS + LC-MS/MS multi-residue
Tandem-MS on both GC and LC platforms covering 200+ pesticides in one scheme — the low detection limits needed to demonstrate compliance against the EU 0.01 mg/kg default.
Clear on which limits apply
We explain the genuine MRL complexity — FSSAI / WHO for domestic, EC 396/2005 + Ph. Eur. 2.8.13 for EU export — and state the basis applied on the report, so you are never unsure which limits judge your product.
QuEChERS validated for botanicals
Extraction and clean-up validated for tough, pigment-rich herbal matrices — the difference between a defensible result and a matrix-interfered one.
Export-market ready
Reports formatted for EU and US surveillance submissions alongside AYUSH and FSSAI — and combinable with heavy-metals into a single export compliance package.
Arbro Group NABL accreditation since 2003
Two decades of continuous ISO/IEC 17025 conformity through the Arbro Group — the audit trail herbal exporters and AYUSH manufacturers look for.