Should Pesticide Limits on Cranberries Be Increased?
Official title: Consultation on spinosad, Proposed Maximum Residue Limit PMRL2024-23
Health Canada wants to increase how much spinosad pesticide residue is allowed on cranberries. The limit would jump from 0.01 parts per million to 0.7 ppm—a 70-fold increase. Spinosad is an insecticide already used on various fruits and vegetables since 2001. Health Canada says the new limit would still protect human health.
Why This Matters
Eat cranberries or drink cranberry juice? This affects what's on your food. The proposed limit is 70 times higher than the current one. If you're concerned about pesticide exposure—especially for kids or during pregnancy—this decision matters.
What Could Change
If approved, cranberries sold in Canada—whether grown here or imported—could contain up to 0.7 ppm of spinosad residue. That's the legal ceiling for what's allowed on store shelves. The change would also apply to processed cranberry products like juice and dried cranberries.
Key Issues
- Should the pesticide residue limit on cranberries be increased 70-fold?
- Is the proposed 0.7 ppm limit safe for human health?
How to Participate
- Review the proposed MRL decision document to understand the scientific evaluation.
- Submit comments to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency Publications Section. Include "PMRL2024-23" in your submission.