Risk assessment of fungicide pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits in the mid-western region of China

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the contamination of 123 vegetables and 130 fruits with 11 fungicides in the mid-western region of China. The index of food safety (IFS) and risk coefficient (R) were used to assess the health hazards of the fungicides to consumers. The results showed that the qualified rates of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables were 100 % (130/130) and 98.37 % (121/123), respectively. The detection rate of pesticides in celery, cowpea, peach, and grape was higher than 70 %. The amount of difenoconazole and procymidone pesticides exceeded the standard in vegetables, while carbendazim, difenoconazole, and tebuconazole were the most common pesticides in fruits and vegetables. The IFS of all detected pesticides in the fruits and vegetables was less than 1, indicating an acceptable safety risk of the pesticide residues. The R of difenoconazole and procymidone in the vegetables was moderate, which should be considered in the key control risk factors and continuously monitored to protect people's health.