EU Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for pesticides apply to food ingredients imported into the European Union, including processed ingredients such as freeze-dried fruit powders. Importers are responsible for compliance — not the supplier.
The regulatory basis
MRLs for pesticide residues in food are set under Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 and its amendments. The European Commission maintains a searchable database at ec.europa.eu/food/plant/pesticides/eu-pesticides-database. Limits apply to the fresh fruit equivalent, which means MRL values must be adjusted when checking processed ingredients like powders (concentration factor applies).
Who is responsible for compliance
Under EU food law (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002), the food business operator placing the product on the EU market is responsible for compliance. If you are importing freeze-dried fruit powder from a third country for use in EU food production, you carry this responsibility — your supplier's test report supports but does not transfer your legal liability.
What to require from your supplier
- MRL test report per production lot (not per product type)
- Test conducted by an accredited laboratory (ISO/IEC 17025)
- Pesticide panel covering compounds relevant to the origin country and crop
- Results expressed against EU MRL limits (not just raw values)
- Lot number on test report matching the lot number on the CoA
Concentration factor for powders
When freeze-drying removes moisture, pesticide residues concentrate. A product with a 12:1 concentration ratio (12 kg fresh fruit → 1 kg powder) will have residue levels approximately 12× higher per kg than the fresh fruit. When verifying MRL compliance for powders, confirm whether your supplier is applying the correct concentration factor in their reporting.
MRL test data available per lot
All NutriExact SKUs are tested against EU MRL limits per production lot. Results included in CoA.
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