United Kingdom Updates Strawberry and Berry Product Maximum Residue Levels

United Kingdom has imposed new maximum residue levels for mefentrifluconazole in various fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, tomatoes, aubergines, cucumbers, blueberries, and currants, to support expanded plant protection product uses and import tolerances.

Compliance Analysis: New Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for Mefentrifluconazole in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has updated the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for mefentrifluconazole in various fruits and vegetables to support expanded plant protection product uses and import tolerances. The new MRLs are established under Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, as retained and amended in UK law, and are published in Part 1 of the GB MRL Statutory Register. Below is a structured breakdown of the key changes, applicable commodities, and regulatory requirements.

1. Key Changes to MRLs for Mefentrifluconazole

The new MRLs for mefentrifluconazole apply to specific fruits and vegetables, with notable increases for strawberries, tomatoes, aubergines (eggplants), cucumbers, blueberries, and currants. The updates reflect:

• Expanded authorised uses of mefentrifluconazole in UK plant protection products.
• Import tolerances to align with international trade standards.
• Temporary MRLs (tMRLs) for certain commodities, with expiry dates specified in footnotes.

The date of entry into force for the new MRLs is 22 January 2026¹, with some provisions applying earlier (e.g., radish leaves from 1 January 2025^{2, 3}).

2. Updated MRLs for Specific Commodities

The following table summarises the new MRLs for the commodities explicitly mentioned in the user’s question, along with other key categories. All values are in mg/kg and apply to fresh or frozen produce unless otherwise stated.

Key Notes on Footnotes:

1. Fat soluble (Footnote 2): Mefentrifluconazole is classified as fat-soluble, meaning residue levels may concentrate in fatty tissues of animal-derived products^{2, 3, 1}.
2. CXL adoption (Footnote 3/4): Some MRLs (e.g., citrus fruits, avocados) are based on Codex Alimentarius (CXL) standards adopted by the UK in 2025¹.
3. Temporary MRLs (Footnote 3): The MRLs for bananas (1.5 mg/kg) and avocados (1.0 mg/kg) are temporary and expire on 13 April 2030, after which they revert to 0.01* mg/kg unless amended³.
4. Processing factors (Footnote 5/6): For ginger and horseradish, the MRLs in the spice group (e.g., dried products) are derived from their fresh root/tuber MRLs, adjusted for drying processes under Article 20(1) of Assimilated Regulation 396/2005¹.

3. Regulatory Requirements and Compliance Obligations

3.1 Legal Basis

• The MRLs are established under Assimilated Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, as retained in UK law post-Brexit^{2, 3, 1}.
• Part 1 of the GB MRL Statutory Register is the official reference for all MRLs in Great Britain. Northern Ireland follows EU MRLs under the Northern Ireland Protocol².

3.2 Key Compliance Obligations

1. Monitoring and Enforcement:
   • Food business operators (FBOs) must ensure that residue levels in marketed produce do not exceed the new MRLs².
   • The UK Competent Authority (e.g., the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or Food Standards Agency (FSA)) is responsible for monitoring compliance and may request supplementary data from applicants^{2, 3}.

1. Import Tolerances:
   • Importers must verify that imported produce (e.g., citrus fruits, bananas) complies with the new MRLs, including temporary provisions^{3, 1}.
   • For commodities with CXL-based MRLs (e.g., oranges, grapefruits), importers should confirm alignment with Codex standards¹.

1. Processing and Drying Adjustments:
   • For dried spices (e.g., ginger, horseradish), the MRL applies to the fresh equivalent, adjusted for processing factors (e.g., drying) under Article 20(1) of Assimilated Regulation 396/2005¹.
   • Example: The MRL for dried ginger (0840020) is derived from the fresh ginger root MRL (0213040-006), accounting for concentration during drying¹.

1. Transitional Provisions:
   • The MRL for radish leaves applies from 1 January 2025^{2, 3}.
   • Temporary MRLs (e.g., bananas, avocados) expire on 13 April 2030, reverting to 0.01* mg/kg unless extended³.

1. Data Submission:
   • Applicants must submit supplementary data (e.g., residue trials, toxicological studies) to the UK Competent Authority if requested, particularly for new uses or import tolerances^{2, 3}.

4. Summary Answer

The UK has updated the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for mefentrifluconazole in several fruits and vegetables, effective 22 January 2026, with some provisions applying earlier (e.g., radish leaves from 1 January 2025)^{2, 3, 1}. Key changes include:

• Increased MRLs for strawberries (0.4 mg/kg), tomatoes (0.4 mg/kg), aubergines (0.4 mg/kg), cucumbers (0.2 mg/kg), blueberries (0.4 mg/kg), and currants (0.4 mg/kg)¹.
• Temporary MRLs for bananas (1.5 mg/kg) and avocados (1.0 mg/kg), expiring on 13 April 2030³.
• Fat-soluble classification, requiring monitoring in animal-derived products^{2, 3, 1}.
• Import tolerances aligned with Codex Alimentarius (CXL) standards for commodities like citrus fruits¹.
• Processing adjustments for dried spices (e.g., ginger, horseradish) under Article 20(1) of Assimilated Regulation 396/2005¹.

Food business operators must ensure compliance with the new MRLs, particularly for imported produce and processed products, while adhering to transitional provisions and data submission requirements^{2, 3}. The GB MRL Statutory Register remains the authoritative source for all MRLs in Great Britain².

Sources

1. ↩ WTO SPS notification 26-00915 — United Kingdom https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/GBR/26_00915_00_e.pdf
2. ↩ WTO SPS notification 26-03119 — United Kingdom https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/GBR/26_03119_00_e.pdf
3. ↩ WTO SPS notification 26-01673 — United Kingdom https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2026/SPS/GBR/26_01673_00_e.pdf