International Maximum Residue Level Database

March 18, 2009 — 

The USDA's Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) has compiled a database of international maximum residue levels (MRLs) for products currently approved for use in the U.S.

This database allows the user to obtain a pharmaceutical or pesticide MRL in a specific country for a variety of commodities. The database will notify the user if the MRL of the importing country is more restrictive than that of the U.S. Unfortunately, the database does not provide a recommended withdrawal period to ensure compliance with the importing country's MRL. It is left up to the veterinarian to establish an appropriate withdrawal period.

The National Pork Board maintains a similar database for Japanese MRLs which contains recommended withdrawal periods provided by the drug manufacturer to avoid a violative residue in products exported to Japan.

The FAS International MRL database can be viewed online at: http://www.mrldatabase.com/