Australia’s pesticides regulator has raised significant new concerns about the safety of a commonly used insecticide applied to berries, prompting immediate changes to harvest rules and the suspension of certain products. The development follows a detailed reassessment revealing that existing use instructions for the chemical may no longer adequately protect consumers, particularly young children.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) released a new decision indicating that the current guidelines for dimethoate—an insecticide widely used to protect blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries from fruit fly—do not sufficiently safeguard public health. The regulator has now determined that the period between spraying and harvest must be increased, after finding that residue levels can remain elevated for days longer than previously understood.

Rising Consumption, Outdated Instructions

The reassessment comes amid a dramatic rise in berry consumption across Australia. Recent data show that the consumption of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries has increased between 285 and 962 percent since 2016. Despite this surge, application guidelines for dimethoate had not been updated for years, raising the risk that consumers—especially children—could exceed the acceptable daily intake.

The APVMA’s new review found that children aged two to six are the most vulnerable. According to the assessment, young children could exceed safe exposure levels when eating berries treated with dimethoate if the fruit is harvested too soon after pesticide application. The findings revealed that residue on blueberries can remain high enough to pose risks even six days after spraying, while residues on raspberries and blackberries can exceed safe limits when harvested within seven days.

The regulator noted that the chemical’s acute reference dose—the amount a person can safely consume in one day—would be surpassed under the previous harvest guidelines, creating a potential hazard for frequent or heavy consumption of treated berries by young children.

New 14-Day Withholding Period Introduced

In response to the updated risk assessment, the APVMA has mandated a stricter withholding period. Farmers must now wait at least 14 days after dimethoate application before harvesting berries. This marks a major shift from previous rules, which required only a single day of withholding for blueberries and seven days for raspberries and blackberries.

The regulator said the new timeline provides the safety margin needed to ensure that residue levels fall below harmful thresholds. It emphasized that updated dietary intake information received earlier in the year triggered the reassessment, leading to the conclusion that some products containing dimethoate may no longer meet statutory safety standards. It also noted that existing label instructions could be considered inadequate or misleading under current regulations.

Industry Response and Shift Toward Biological Controls

Australia’s berry industry has responded by expressing support for the updated guidelines. Producers have pointed to the sector’s increased reliance on integrated pest management strategies, which involve using biological controls such as predatory mites and beneficial insects, along with protective cropping systems like nets and other innovations designed to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides. The industry maintains that chemical treatments are already used as a last resort and that the new requirements will further support a transition toward safer and more sustainable pest management practices.

Global Concerns Over Dimethoate

Dimethoate has faced mounting criticism internationally due to concerns about both human health impacts and environmental risks, particularly to pollinators. The European Union banned the chemical in 2019, citing evidence that it posed unacceptable hazards. Observers noted that international decisions were available years earlier, suggesting that Australian regulators could have taken action sooner.

Critics have argued that the response within Australia has been slow compared with other jurisdictions. They highlight the lengthy period between the EU ban and the APVMA’s updated guidance, stressing the importance of rapid, precautionary decision-making when potential food safety issues arise.

Regulator Defends Assessment Approach

The APVMA has defended its processes, stating that regulatory decisions are based on comprehensive, risk-based scientific evaluations. While international decisions are considered, the regulator maintains that they cannot be automatically applied to Australian conditions due to differing climatic, agricultural, and regulatory environments. The APVMA emphasized that the updated withholding period is designed to ensure that safety margins are restored based on the most current evidence.

A Turning Point for Chemical Use on Berries

The updated safety findings and enforced changes represent a significant turning point for berry production in Australia. With consumption rising rapidly and public concern about food safety increasing, regulators and industry stakeholders face growing pressure to re-evaluate long-standing chemical practices. The new rules signal a move toward stricter oversight and greater emphasis on non-chemical alternatives, positioning the berry industry for a period of transition as it adapts to evolving scientific evidence and consumer expectations.

As attention intensifies on pesticide residues and children’s dietary exposure, the regulatory overhaul underscores both the urgency and complexity of ensuring food safety in a changing agricultural landscape.