Proposed Maximum Residue Limit PMRL2025-10, Fenazaquin

Pest Management Regulatory Agency
22 July 2025
ISSN: 1925-0843 (PDF version)
Catalogue number: H113-24/2025-10E-PDF (PDF version)

Table of Contents

• Purpose of consultation
• Dietary health assessment
• Proposed MRLs
• International situation and trade implications
• How to get involved
• Appendix I
• References

Purpose of consultation

A maximum residue limits (MRLs)^{Footnote 1} are being proposed for the pesticide fenazaquin, as part of the following applications, under submission number 2023-1283 for Canadian use and submission number 2023-2068 for imported commodities, as described below.

Under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is proposing acceptability of the requested application to add the new commodities of tree nuts (crop group 14-11), hops and mint as a postemergent foliar use to the product label of Magister SC Miticide containing technical grade fenazaquin, for control of listed mites, insects and fungal diseases. The specific uses approved in Canada are detailed on this product label, Pest Control Products Act registration number 34544.

In addition, Health Canada is proposing acceptability of the request to specify MRLs for fenazaquin on edible podded bean legume vegetables (crop subgroup 6-21A); edible podded pea legume vegetables (crop subgroup 6-21B); succulent shelled beans (crop subgroup 6-21C); succulent shelled peas (crop subgroup 6-21D); pulses, dried shelled beans, except soybeans (crop subgroup 6-21E); pulses, dried shelled peas (crop subgroup 6-21F); tree nuts (crop group 14-11); avocados, dried peppermint leaves, dried spearmint leaves, fresh peppermint leaves, fresh spearmint leaves, hops (dried cones) and tea (dried leaves) for control of listed mites, insects and fungal diseases, in order to permit the import and sale of food that could contain such residues. Health Canada has determined the quantity of residues that may remain in or on the imported commodities when fenazaquin is used according to the label directions of the exporting country, and that such residues will not be a concern to human health. Except for the proposed domestic uses on tree nuts, mint and hops, these import MRL proposals do not result in a change of the current approved conditions of use in Canada.

The evaluation of these fenazaquin applications indicated that the end-use product has value, and the human health and environmental risks associated with the new uses are acceptable. Dietary risks from the consumption of foods listed in Table 1 were shown to be acceptable when fenazaquin is used according to the supported label directions. Therefore, foods containing residues resulting from these uses are safe to eat, and MRLs are being proposed as a result of this assessment. A summary of the field trial data used to support the proposed MRLs can be found in Appendix I.

Dietary health assessment

In assessing the risk of a pesticide, Health Canada combines information on pesticide toxicity with information on the degree and duration of dietary exposure to the pesticide residue from food. The risk assessment process involves four distinct steps:

1. Identifying the toxicology hazards posed by the pesticide;
2. Determining the “acceptable dietary level” for Canadians (including all vulnerable populations), which is protective of adverse health effects;
3. Estimating human dietary exposure to the pesticide from all applicable sources (domestic and imported commodities); and
4. Characterizing health risk by comparing the estimated human dietary exposure to the acceptable dietary level.

Before registering a pesticide for food use in Canada, Health Canada must determine the quantity of residues that could remain in or on the food when the pesticide is used according to label directions and that such residues will not be a concern to human health (step 3 and step 4). If estimated human exposure is less than or equal to the acceptable level (developed in step 2), Health Canada concludes that consuming residues resulting from use according to approved label directions is not a health concern. The proposed MRL is then subject to consultation to legally specify it as an MRL. An MRL applies to the identified raw agricultural food commodity as well as to any processed food product that contains it, except for certain instances where different MRLs are specified for the raw agricultural commodity and its processed product(s). 

Consultation on the proposed MRLs for fenazaquin is being conducted via this document. Health Canada invites the public to submit written comments on the proposed MRLs for fenazaquin in accordance with the process outlined in the How to get involved Section of this document.

To comply with Canada's international trade obligations, consultation on the proposed MRLs is also being conducted internationally by notifying the World Trade Organization, as coordinated by the Canada's Notification Authority and Enquiry Point.

Proposed MRLs

The proposed MRLs, to be added to the MRLs already established for fenazaquin, are summarized in Table 1.

The commodities included in the listed crop groups/subgroups can be found on the Residue Chemistry Crop Groups webpage in the Pesticides section of Canada.ca.

MRLs established in Canada may be found using the Maximum Residue Limit Database on the Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides webpage. The database allows users to search for established MRLs, regulated under the Pest Control Products Act, both for pesticides or for food commodities.

International situation and trade implications

MRLs may vary from one country to another for a number of reasons, including differences in pesticide use patterns and the geographic locations of the crop field trials used to generate residue chemistry data.

Table 2 compares the MRLs proposed for fenazaquin in Canada with corresponding tolerances in the United States (U.S.) and Codex MRLs.^{Footnote 2} U.S. tolerances are listed in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 40 CFR Part 180, by pesticide. A listing of established Codex MRLs is available on the Codex Alimentarius Pesticide Index webpage, by pesticide or commodity.

How to get involved

Health Canada invites the public to submit written comments on the proposed MRLs for fenazaquin up to 75 days from the date of publication of this document (by 5 October 2025). Please forward your comments to Publications. Health Canada will consider all comments received and a science-based approach will be applied in making a final decision on the proposed MRL. Comments received will be addressed in a response to comments document found in Pesticides and pest management consultations. The established MRLs will be legally in effect as of the date that they are entered into the Maximum Residue Limit Database.

Appendix I

Summary of field trial data used to support the proposed maximum residue limits

Residue data for fenazaquin in almonds, pecans, hops and mint previously submitted were reviewed to support the use of Magister SC Miticide on tree nuts (crop group 14-11), hops and mint in Canada, and to support maximum residue limits on imported commodities of these same crops. Previously submitted residue data for fenazaquin in avocados, snap beans, snap and snow peas, lima beans, garden peas, dry pinto beans, dry peas and tea were also reviewed to support maximum residue limits on imported commodities of avocados, edible podded bean legume vegetables (crop subgroup 6-21A); edible podded pea legume vegetables (crop subgroup 6-21B); succulent shelled beans (crop subgroup 6-21C); succulent shelled peas (crop subgroup 6-21D); pulses, dried shelled beans, except soybeans (crop subgroup 6-21E); pulses, dried shelled peas (crop subgroup 6-21F); and tea. In addition, a processing study in treated mint previously submitted was reviewed to determine the potential for concentration of residues of fenazaquin in processed commodities.

Dietary risk assessment results

Acute dietary (food plus drinking water) intake estimates indicated that the general population and all population subgroups are exposed to less than 58% of the acute reference dose, and therefore there are no health concerns.

Chronic (non-cancer and cancer) dietary (food plus drinking water) intake estimates indicated that the general population and all population subgroups are exposed to less than 10% of the acceptable daily intake, and therefore there are no health concerns.

Maximum residue limits

The recommendation for maximum residue limits (MRLs) for fenazaquin was based upon previously submitted field trial data, and the guidance provided in the OECD MRL Calculator. Table A1 summarizes the residue data for fenazaquin used to calculate the proposed MRLs for edible podded bean legume vegetables (crop subgroup 6-21A); edible podded pea legume vegetables (crop subgroup 6-21B); succulent shelled beans (crop subgroup 6-21C); succulent shelled peas (crop subgroup 6-21D); pulses, dried shelled beans, except soybeans (crop subgroup 6-21E); pulses, dried shelled peas (crop subgroup 6-21F); tree nuts (crop group 14-11); avocados, dried peppermint leaves, dried spearmint leaves, fresh peppermint leaves, fresh spearmint leaves, hops (dried cones), and tea (dried leaves).

There are no livestock feed commodities associated with the proposed domestic uses.

Following the review of all available data, the MRLs proposed in Table 1 are recommended, in order to cover residues of fenazaquin. Dietary risks from exposure to residues of fenazaquin in these crop commodities at the proposed MRLs were shown to be acceptable for the general population and all subpopulations, including infants, children, adults and seniors. Thus, the foods that contain residues as listed in Table 1 are considered safe to eat.

References