Deltamethrin MRL EU changes for kiwi fruits and melons in 2026
The EU deltamethrin MRL depends on the commodity. From 5 November 2026 it rises to 0.15 mg/kg for kiwi fruits and 0.03 mg/kg for melons and watermelons.
Deltamethrin MRL EU changes from 5 November 2026
There is no single EU deltamethrin MRL, because each commodity has its own maximum residue limit. From 5 November 2026, Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/2289 will raise the limit for kiwi fruits from 0.01* to 0.15 mg/kg and for melons and watermelons from 0.01* to 0.03 mg/kg.
The Commission adopted the act on 15 October 2026 and published it in the Official Journal on 16 October. As of 27 October, these higher limits are not yet in force. The act enters into force on 5 November, under Article 2.
The deltamethrin MRL changes
Article 1 amends Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. The deltamethrin residue definition is "Deltamethrin (cis-deltamethrin) (F)", and F means the residue is fat-soluble. The table compares the earlier deltamethrin column with the new annex. All values are in mg/kg.
| Commodity | Code | Until 4 November 2026 | From 5 November 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiwi fruits (green, red, yellow) | 0162010 | 0.01* | 0.15 |
| Melons | 0233010 | 0.01* | 0.03 |
| Watermelons | 0233030 | 0.01* | 0.03 |
All three are increases. For kiwi fruits, the old 0.01* comes from group 0162000, labelled "(b) inedible peel, small", in Regulation 2026/876. Melons and watermelons already have their own entries there.
The asterisk, shown as (*1) in the Official Journal, marks the lower limit of analytical determination. It doesn't mean zero. The replacement annex also repeats unchanged rows, so a printed value is not automatically a new limit. Pumpkins and other cucurbits do not take the melon figures.
When the new limits apply
Article 2 of Regulation 2026/2289 sets entry into force on the twentieth day after publication. The act has no harvest-date exemption and no separate delayed application date.
Under Article 18(1) of Regulation 396/2005, Annex I products must comply when placed on the market as food or feed, or fed to animals. Imports are covered too: the Commission's MRL guidance covers pesticides used inside and outside the EU. The higher limits do not make an earlier exceedance compliant.
The other five substances
The same act also amends entries for acequinocyl, dodine, maleic hydrazide, pinoxaden and prothioconazole. These cover different commodities, including berries, grapes, cereals, and livestock products; prothioconazole covers pome fruits, certain stone fruits, garlic, cucurbits, rapeseeds and rice. Do not assume every change is an increase. The act confirms the existing tentative pinoxaden livestock MRLs and deletes the corresponding footnotes.
What growers and importers should check
Start with the destination market, the exact commodity code and the residue definition. Update supplier specifications and laboratory instructions for the applicable date.
Processed foods need a separate check. Where no specific processed-product MRL exists, Article 20(1) of Regulation 396/2005 requires accounting for changes caused by processing or mixing. Juice, concentrate and dried fruit do not automatically take the raw-fruit number. Article 19 prohibits processing or mixing non-compliant products for dilution before marketing them as food or feed.
An MRL is not a spray authorisation. Check authorised uses and label conditions separately with the national authority, as the Commission explains.
For other commodities, search the EU Pesticides Database by substance, commodity and date. It supports current and historical searches. But the Commission warns that it has no legal value. Confirm the result against the Official Journal act.
GB and Northern Ireland
This EU amendment does not automatically change GB limits. HSE's overview says GB MRLs apply to produce treated in GB (England, Scotland and Wales) or imported into GB. Check the GB MRL Statutory Register for those limits. The Northern Ireland note linked from HSE's MRL index says EU MRLs apply to food or feed produced in, or imported into, and marketed in Northern Ireland. GB-sourced goods traded via the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS) can be marketed there under GB MRLs. Retail goods produced in Northern Ireland stay on the EU rules.
RegAffairs AI's deltamethrin answer is a starting point for other commodity lookups, with citations to stored regulatory texts.