Pesticide residues in imported black tea in Egypt: Occurrence, processing-induced reduction, and health risk assessment.

Pesticide residues in Egyptian strawberries over a four-year period: Occurrence, adherence to maximum residue limits, co-occurrence, and effects on consumer health

Pesticide residues in fresh fruits imported into the United Arab Emirates

This study was conducted to monitor and evaluate the health risks of multiple organophosphorus pesticide residues in three characteristic fruits of Maragheh district, East Azerbaijan province. The Monte Carlo method was used to quantify the possible non-carcinogenic health risks associated with pesticide residues in adults and children. The residues of 17 pesticides in 36 samples were analysed using the QuEChERS extraction method coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Residues of 13 pesticides (76.47%) were detected in grape samples and 15 pesticides (88.23%) in apricot and plum samples. The maximum level found in grape samples was due to chlorpyrifos with 1.2 mg/kg, and in apricot and plum samples to diazinon with 1.6 and 1.3 mg/kg, respectively. All grape, apricot and plum samples contained at least ten pesticides with levels exceeding the Iranian and EU Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs). The processing factor for washing treatment in grape, apricot and plum samples was less than 1, ranging from 0.53 to 0.69. Chlorpyrifos with values of 0.064 and 0.256 in the grape samples and diazinon with values of 0.0443 and 0.177 in the apricot samples and values of 0.0263 and 0.105 in the plum samples contain the highest hazard quotients (HQ) for adults and children, respectively. The cumulative risk assessment due to exposure to several pesticide residues suggests that there is no significant health risk for adults (HI < 1). However, consumption of unwashed grapes may cause adverse effects in children (HI = 1.48). However, for further research, a comprehensive longitudinal study is suggested to assess the long-term effects of exposure to pesticides especially for children.

The harmful effects of pesticide residues are a threat to our health. Therefore, the current study aimed to validate a simple method for the determination of pesticide residues in commonly consumed fruits and vegetables from Al-Rass, Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. A total of 1430 samples were collected from a local market and then analyzed for monitoring of 49 pesticide residues. A quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) multi-residue extraction method followed by gas chromatography equipped with triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) was successfully implemented. This 17-min-run analytical method detects and quantifies pesticide residues with acceptable validation performance parameters in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, linearity, the limit of quantification, accuracy, and precision. The linear range of the calibration curves ranged from 10 to 300 µg/L, all the pesticide LODs ranged from 0.0005 to 0.0024 mg/kg, and the pesticide LOQs ranged from 0.0011 to 0.0047 mg/kg. The recovery values at the three fortification levels ranged from 78 % to 107 %, and the precision values (expressed as RSD%) were less than 20 % for all of the investigated analytes. The results showed that 138 (9.65 %) of the analyzed samples were contaminated with pesticide residues, 40 (2.80 %) of the analyzed samples exceeded the maximum residue limit (MRL) of the European Commission regulations (EC) for pesticides residues, 98 (6.85 %) of the analyzed samples were contaminated with residues below the MRL, and 1292 (90.35 %) of the analyzed samples were pesticide residue-free. Coriander contained the highest percentage (46.88 %) of pesticide residues, particularly tetradifon that representing 18.75 % noncompliance with the MRL, followed by parsley, with 20.59 % pesticide residues (10.29 % non-compliance). Multiple pesticide residues were observed most frequently in tomatoes and dates which were contaminated with buprofezin and ethion respectively.

A comprehensive nationwide surveillance study (2018–2021) analysed pesticide residues in 2,814 fruit samples collected from 20 Egyptian markets, focusing on apples, bananas, guava, lemons, mandarins, mangoes, and pears to evaluate contamination levels and assess potential dietary exposure risks. The QuEChERS protocol was utilised, followed by analyses using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS techniques. The results indicated that 51.6% of the samples contained detectable pesticide residues, with 24.8% exceeding Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs). Among the most frequently detected pesticides were cypermethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, imidacloprid, acetamiprid, and chlorpyrifos, highlighting their extensive use in Egyptian fruit farming. The dietary exposure assessment revealed that none of the evaluated pesticides exceeded the 100% Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) threshold, confirming minimal chronic health risks under current consumption patterns. However, methamidophos (35% ADI), dimethoate (23% ADI), and fipronil (11.2% ADI) exhibited relatively elevated values, necessitating continued monitoring to mitigate long-term health effects. The findings underscore the importance of stricter regulatory enforcement, improved compliance with pre-harvest intervals, and promoting sustainable alternatives such as integrated pest management (IPM) and biopesticides. This study provides critical insights for policymakers, regulatory bodies, and the agricultural sector, reinforcing the need for continuous monitoring and risk assessment to ensure food safety and public health protection.

This study aimed to determine pesticide residues in raisin samples from the Besni and Gölbaşı districts of Adıyaman province, located in the Southeastern Anatolia region of Türkiye. Method validation was carried out for parameters including linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), recovery, precision (repeatability and in-laboratory reproducibility), and measurement uncertainty. The results met the criteria outlined in SANTE/11312/2021. A total of 260 pesticides were analyzed, with pesticide residues detected in 95 out of 100 samples. Among these, 42 samples contained a single pesticide, while 53 samples had two or more residues. The insecticides cypermethrin, indoxacarb, and malathion, along with the fungicides boscalid, flubendiamide, fluopyram, pyrimethanil, and spiroxamine, were identified. All detected pesticide residues were within the LOQ and maximum residue limit (MRL), with no residues exceeding the MRL. According to the analysis, eight different pesticides were identified in the samples. The study confirms that pesticide residues in dried grape samples comply with the MRLs, suggesting minimal health risks for consumers, as both long-term and short-term dietary risks were found to be negligible. However, the presence of multiple pesticide residues underscores the need for ongoing monitoring and stringent regulatory measures to ensure food safety and maintain compliance. These findings provide valuable insights into improving sustainable agricultural practices in grape production and establishing a more effective monitoring system for pesticide residues in raisins

Eggplant and hyacinth bean are essential vegetable crops due to their nutritional value but are highly susceptible to various insect pests. Farmers often apply pesticides indiscriminately, disregarding the recommended pre-harvest intervals. This practice raises concerns about potential pesticide residue contamination in vegetables. The present study aimed to assess pesticide residues in eggplant and hyacinth bean. Samples were collected from eight regions of Bangladesh. Pesticide residues in the samples were assessed through gas chromatography, utilizing both a flame thermionic detector (FTD) and an electron capture detector (ECD). Among the total analyzed samples, a significant portion was found to be contaminated, with residues of cypermethrin, diazinon, quinalphos, fenitrothion, and malathion detected in over half of the samples. Among these, 15 samples (30%) exceeded the maximum residue limit (MRL) set by FAO/WHO. From the 26 eggplant samples, 15 contained residues of cypermethrin, quinalphos, and diazinon, with 7 samples (26.92%) exceeding MRLs. Four samples had cypermethrin residues ranging from 0.532–0.623 mg/kg, and one sample contained 0.703 mg/kg diazinon, both above MRLs. Additionally, two samples from Bogura and Rangpur had multiple pesticide residues above MRL. Of the 24 hyacinth bean samples, 15 were contaminated with cypermethrin, diazinon, quinalphos, fenitrothion, and malathion. Among these, 8 samples (33.33%) exceeded MRLs with residues ranging from 0.533–0.561 mg/kg for cypermethrin, 0.543–0.610 mg/kg for diazinon, 0.120–0.240 mg/kg for fenitrothion, 0.414 mg/kg for quinalphos, and 0.529 mg/kg for malathion. Two hyacinth bean samples from Rangpur and Jashore contained multiple pesticide residues exceeding MRLs. The current status of pesticide residue contamination in these vegetables is highlighted by this analysis, which also emphasizes that residues over MRLs provide serious health concerns to humans and may result in a number of dangerous disorders. Asian Australas. J. Food Saf. Secur. 2024, 8(2), 67-74

Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo (D. officinale) is a traditional Chinese medicine homologous to food, and its safety has attracted considerable attention. Pesticide residues are critical indicators for evaluating the safety of D. officinale. This study investigated the levels of 130 pesticides in 137 stem samples and 82 leaf samples from five main production areas of D. officinale in Zhejiang Province, along with the associated risk of dietary exposure for the population between 2019 and 2021. Forty-five pesticides were detected in 171 samples, of which pyraclostrobin had the highest detection frequency. Multiple residues were detected in 52.56% of the stem samples and 54.88% of the leaf samples, and one stem sample contained up to 18 pesticides. Here, the level of difenoconazole in three samples (two stem samples and one leaf sample) was higher than the maximum residue limit (MRL) in China. Considering the possible health risks related to pesticide residues, a risk assessment of human exposure to pesticides via the intake of D. officinale stems and leaves was evaluated, indicating negligible short-term, long-term, and cumulative risks to human health. However, considering the high detection rate of unregistered pesticides, the supplementation of pesticide registration information on D. officinale should be expedited, and MRLs should be established to ensure food and drug safety.

The presence of pesticide residues in primary and derived agricultural products raises serious health concerns for consumers. The aim of this study was to assess the level of pesticide residues in commonly consumed fruits and vegetables in Kuwait. A total of 150 samples of different fresh vegetables and fruits were analyzed for the presence of 34 pesticides using the quick easy cheap effective rugged and safe (QuEChERS) multi-residue extraction, followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Pesticide residues above the maximum residue limits (MRL) were detected in 21% of the samples and 79% of the samples had no residues of the pesticides surveyed or contained residues below the MRL. Multiple residues were present in 40% of the samples with two to four pesticides, and four samples were contaminated with more than four pesticide residues. Of the pesticides investigated, 16 were detected, of which imidacloprid, deltamethrin, cypermethrin, malathion, acetamiprid, monocrotophos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, and diazinon exceeded their MRLs. Aldrin, an organochlorine pesticide, was detected in one apple sample, with residues below the MRL. The results indicate the occurrence of pesticide residues in commonly consumed fruits and vegetables in Kuwait, and pointed to an urgent need to develop comprehensive intervention measures to reduce the potential health risk to consumers. The need for the regular monitoring of pesticide residues and the sensitization of farmers to better pesticide safety practices, especially the need to adhere to recommended pre-harvest intervals is recommended.

Evaluation of nine pesticide residues in three minor tropical fruits from southern China

A simple and efficient multiple pesticide residue analytical method using quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction and liquid chromatography triple quadrupole-mass spectrometry was developed and validated for the determination of ten insecticides and three fungicides in eggplant. The method was validated by evaluating the accuracy, precision, linearity, limit of detection, and limit of quantification. The average recoveries of the selected pesticides ranged from 71.8 to 112 % with precision in case of repeatability (RSDr) ≤16.2 % in four fortification levels of 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5 mg/kg. The linearity was ≥0.997 for all of the selected pesticides with matrix-matched calibration standards. The limit of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.001 to 0.003 mg/kg and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.01 mg/kg, which was lower than the Maximum residue levels set by European Union (EU-MRLs). Matrix effect was also evaluated, and it was found that thiamethoxam, cypermethrin, and deltamethrin had pronounced matrix effect (−69, +57, and +93 %, respectively). This method was applied for the residue analysis of 72 fresh eggplant fruit samples collected from different market places in Thessaloniki, Greece. Among the 72 analyzed samples, 34 (47 % of the total no. of samples) had pesticide residues, of which, 5 had multiple pesticide residues and 29 had single pesticide residue. Only one sample contained residue above the EU-MRLs.

Pesticide residues in edible mushrooms are receiving more attention. Herein, sixty-two pesticide residues in edible mushrooms were analyzed, and chronic, acute, and cumulative dietary exposure risks were assessed. As a whole, 15 pesticides were identified, and nearly 20% of the samples contained one or more pesticide residues. The fungicide carbendazim was the most frequently detected pesticide, with a detection rate reaching 6.73%. Among different varieties, maximum residue limits (MRLs) were exceeded in 20% of A. bisporus samples for emamectin-benzoate and in 11.6% of A. blazei Murill samples for carbofuran. The risk assessment results revealed that exposure to pesticide residues in edible mushrooms did not pose an unacceptable health risk, even in the worst-case scenario. But combined with the results of many unregistered pesticide residues, multiple pesticide residues, and pesticide residues exceeding MRLs occurred in some samples, appropriate management guidelines on the pesticide use for edible mushroom cultivation are urgent.

Overuse of pesticides in vegetables and related fresh products raises serious public health concerns. However, the recognition and assessment of the magnitude of public health risk remains a low priority in low income African communities. Brassicas are a cosmopolitan crop in African horticulture, and equally so, is the major economic pest, the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.). In consequence, insecticide use on P. xylostella in brassica production systems presents persistent pesticide overuse on produce directly destined for public consumption. Using the quick easy cheap effective rugged and safe (QuEChERS) multi-residue analysis method, followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), we investigated the occurrence and magnitude of pesticide residues at three vegetable market levels (farmgates, vendors and supermarkets) in Botswana. We detected pesticide residues in 74.1% of the samples while 33.4% had multiple compounds. Farmgates recorded higher pesticide residues than other markets. We multi-detected 10 low-highly hazardous pesticides [World Health Organisation (WHO)] (classes 1B & II), that included Organophosphates, Pyrethroids, Neonicotinoids and Carbamates. Fifty percent of the detected pesticides from farms and supermarkets had residue quantities exceeding the Codex Maximum Residue Limit thresholds; although estimated daily per capita consumption was lower than the WHO Average Daily Intake (ADI) and Acute Reference Doses (ARfDs). These results indicate presence of multiple and excessive pesticide residues in routinely consumed vegetables on the markets, and points to an imminent public health hazard. Urgent attention is needed to develop and enforce effective policies and regulations on pesticide use practices and investment in non-chemical pest management alternatives.

Purpose: To assess the levels of pesticide residues in commonly used vegetables in Vietnam as a reference for future monitoring.&#x0D; Methods: A total of 180 samples of six different fresh vegetables including watercress, mustard green, choy sum, daikon, okra, and yam were analyzed from Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Ten popular pesticides were evaluated using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) after extraction with a multi-residue method (QuEChERS method).&#x0D; Results: The results were assessed according to the maximum residue limit (MRL) provided by Codex for each pesticide in each commodity. Pesticide residues above the MRL were detected in 107 samples (59 %) and 63 samples (47 %) contained residues below the MRL. Multiple residues were present in 38.3% of the samples with two to five pesticides, and 0.6 % of samples were contaminated with more than five pesticide residues. Of the pesticides investigated, eight pesticides were detected, of which abamectin, alpha-cypermethrin, acetamiprid, chlorpyrifos- ethyl, chlorantraniliprole, fenobucarb, fipronil, and trichlorfon exceeded their MRLs. Pesticide residues were detected above MRLs in samples of watercress (14 samples), mustard green (24 samples), choy sum (25 samples), daikon (26 samples), and yam (18 samples). Chlorpyrifos-ethyl, and fipronil were detected in most of the vegetable samples (100% and 89.44%, respectively).&#x0D; Conclusion: The results indicate the occurrence of pesticide residues in commonly consumed vegetables in Vietnam. The need for the regular monitoring of pesticide residues and the sensitization of farmers to better pesticide safety practices, especially the need to adhere to recommended pre-harvest intervals is recommended.

Concentrations and Related Health Risk Assessment of Pesticides, Phthalates, and Heavy Metals in Strawberries from Shanghai, China