restrictions on shrim due to anti-oxidant residues in october 2012 india expressed concern regarding japans introduction of mandatory testing for residue levels of ethoxyquin an anti-oxidant commonly used as a preservative in feed for aquatic animals. in 2005 japan had notified a measure based on its food sanitation act that regulated a positive list of agricultural chemicals and additives in food. this defined permissible residue levels of ethoxyquin at 0.01 ppm for some products but did not include mrls in shrimp. japans new mrls for shrim was too stringent compared to the codex mrl of 3 ppm was not based on scientific evidence and did not take into account the objective of minimizing negative trade effects. japan observed that no codex standard for ethoxyquin in shrim had existed at the time it changed its legislation. as india had not requested the establishment of a specific mrl for this product the default tolerance level of 0.01 ppm applied. a risk assessment for ethoxyquin in shrim was currently underway so the default level was applied in the meantime. japan remained committed to continuing consultations with india to resolve this matter. in march 2013 india raised concerns regarding the systemic issue of setting arbitrary mrls at the level of determination or detection without scientific evidence. on 1 august 2012 japan had introduced limits for residues of the pesticide ethoxyquin in shrim with a threshold level set at 0.01ppm the level of determination. in contrast the mrl for ethoxyquin in fish including salmon trout eel and tuna had been set at 1ppm. furthermore codex had only set mrls for ethoxyquin for pears at 3 ppm. no other member had prescribed mrls for ethoxyquin in shrim and no other international agencies had regulated ethoxyquin in fish. there was also no scientific evidence on the toxicity or carcinogenicity of the pesticide. india was the largest supplier of shrim to japan and this measure had an adverse effect on its exports. india urged japan to base its decisions on scientific principles. information was also requested on the status of the mrl review undertaken by the food safety commission of japan. japan explained that in response to indias request it had conducted a risk assessment to review the existing mrls for ethoxyquin in shrimp. there was concern that ethoxyquin was genotoxic and japans ministry of health labour and welfare was now conducting additional studies to generate data on the genotoxicity. india would be informed as soon as the data was available. ethoxyquin was also under review for genotoxicity by the european food safety authority. in june 2013 india raised its concern over japans mrls of ethoxyquin in shrimp. india understood that there had been evidence raising concerns over the genotoxicity of ethoxyquin but did not understand why the mrls for fish 1 ppm were higher than those for shrim 0.01 ppm . india had experienced a substantial economic loss due to japans mrls which were without scientific justification. japan reiterated that it set individual mrls in food based on scientific data. the mrl in fish was based on residue trial data for fish but there was no such data for shrimp. furthermore as there was no codex standard for ethoxyquin in shrimp nor had any foreign country requested that japan set a specific maximum level in shrimp the uniform limit of 0.01 ppm had been applied. japan was reviewing the uniform limit pursuant to a request for a specific limit from india received september 2012. multiple reports from japanese authorities as well as the european food safety authority had raised concern about the potential genotoxicity of ethoxyquin. japan reiterated that it would continue to review the status of this limit and consider new data and reports as they became available. japan expressed its desire to continue working with india on this issue through bilateral channels. in october 2013 india noted that japan had been examining consignments of shrim for ethoxyquin l