BCGlobal: Your portal into global food regulations

Food safety is a complex and ever-evolving issue for countries and consumers across the globe, especially in relation to pesticide residues and additives in food. It is important for all those throughout the supply chain, from growers to importers, distributors, and exporters, to understand their target countries’ food safety requirements and regulations, such as chemical maximum residue levels and approved food additive use.

A maximum residue level (MRL) is the highest level of a pesticide residue that is legally tolerated in or on food or feed when pesticides are applied correctly.  MRL regulations vary from country to country and are constantly changing.

Successfully trading—keeping your products from being rejected by foreign authorities, requires being updated about all standards in your domestic and export markets.   For example, a farmer in China can apply a chemical to address a pest or disease and be in compliance with Chinese standards, but might not in compliance in countries to which they export.  That could result in product being destroyed or re-exported.  However, finding MRL standards and changes can be onerous and time-consuming. MRLs are not always easily accessible, up-to-date, or even available in multiple languages..

This is where Bryant Christie Inc. (BCI) proves its value. Through its BCGlobal MRL Database, BCI has consolidated current, pending, and proposed MRLs for over 850 commodities and 970 active ingredients across over 125 markets, which it tracks and updates daily. Its MRL database is used by several national governments, including the US, Canada, Peru, and Australia. BCI also provides MRL services for over 300 veterinary drugs and all regulated animal products across 75 markets.

In addition, BCI supports its database subscribers by helping them establish needed MRLs and import tolerances in export markets, and by providing them with advance warning when a critical MRL might change.

Another key BCI product for importers and exporters is its Food Additive Database, which allows its users to easily locate and compare up-to-date food additive maximum use regulations for over 800 additives across 70 countries. Aimed at food companies, ingredient manufacturers, importers and exporters, legislators, and all others requiring access to food additive regulatory data, clients can search the database by additive, market, and/or technological function to gain the most complete and accurate food additive information possible for its target market(s).

BCI also offers a customized trade regulation database, which provides regulatory information specific to its clients’ products/commodities, key markets, and other topics such as tariffs, quotas, phytosanitary standards, documentation requirements, food standards, product labeling, and packaging requirements.

BCI is also working to add databases for maximum limits of contaminants in foods, flavoring regulations, as well as enzyme regulations. More information on BCI and the services it offers can be found on its website: www.bryantchristie.com