Pesticide Residues In Food Products Research Articles

Determination of pesticide residue content in fruits and vegetables from Lagos, Nigeria.

Developing countries like Nigeria are increasingly employing pesticides to boost the productivity of their agriculture and food supply, despite the fact that doing so poses a health risk to the general populace. The purpose of this study was to assess pesticide residue levels in Lagos, Nigeria. A total of 18 samples from three neighbourhood markets were collected, and they were then examined for the presence of organochlorine (Endosulfan I, Pentachlorophenol, Heptachlor epoxide, and Endosulfan II) and organophosphate (Dichlorvos, Dimethoate, Phorate, and methyl parathion) residues. During the pre-treatment, the multi-residue Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS citrate) method with the addition of acetonitrile was used, and then samples were analysed using GC-MS. All of the samples contained dichlorvos, but the orange sample's concentration was below the limit of quantification, making quantification impossible. Dimethoate concentrations were below MRLs except waterleaf sample. With a concentration of 0.043 μg/mL, Waterleaf had the highest quantity of dimethoate in the sample. The findings of this study indicate that in order to safeguard the health of consumers, it is necessary to closely monitor organochlorine and organophosphate use nationwide, along with other related pesticides, and to test for pesticide residues in food products.

PESTICIDE RESIDUE SCREENING IN CITRUS FRUITS BASED ON GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-TANDEM MASS SPECTROMETRY AND HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT

Lately, there is maximum concern in most states, all over the world, regarding the levels of pesticide residues in food products, considering their chemical properties with direct implications on human health. Many studies have shown that the adverse effects of cumulative exposure to multiple pesticide residues are far more severe than any single exposure. Statistically, the number of food alerts generated by the presence of pesticide residues in fruits on the market, between 2017 and 2021, as well as the situation related to the number of imports and intra-EU trade that took place during the same period was highlighted. This study aims to analyze pesticide residue levels in citrus fruits (i.e., lemons, grapefruit, and orange) imported from non-EU and EU countries, comparative with maximum residue limits (MRLs) provided by Regulation 2005/396/EC, to assess if intake levels pose a long-term risk to human health. The citrus samples collected from ten markets (retail and storage areas) in Romania, were prepared according to the procedure provided by EN 15662:2008 standard. The concentration of pesticide residues from citrus samples was determined by Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The results obtained by GC-MS/MS showed that from 52 citrus samples, 41 samples contained pesticide residues with values between 0.005 and 2.700 mg/kg, and several samples contained forbidden active substances (e.g., spirodiclofen and o-phenylphenol). The pesticide detection rate of the samples was 78.84%. The most frequently detected pesticides according to obtained results were imazalil, thiabendazole, pyrimethanil, pyraclostrobin, fludioxonil, as well as spirodiclofen and o-phenylphenol. The samples with the most detected active substances are from imports outside of the European Union. In addition, in several samples, simultaneously occurred four or even five mixed pesticide residues, hazardous to human health. This study shows that the presence of pesticide residues is constant in citrus fruits due to phytosanitary treatments carried out on crops in the development phase as well as on fruits in the storage phase treatments (e.g. insecticides, fungicides, etc.).

Risk assessment and hygienic regulation of using of milbenock insecticide based on the new active substances aversectin class milbemectin

Annotation. The problem of risk assessment for the population and persons involved in the treatment of agricultural crops with plant protection products is relevant in many countries of the world. The aim of the study was hygienic regulation of the Milbenok insecticide based on a new compound of the active substances aversectin class milbemectin to reduce the potential occupational risk and population risk. The method of natural experiment was used, residual amounts of milbemectin were determined by the method of high-performance liquid chromatography. Statistical processing of the obtained results, mathematical modeling of the degradation of the milbemectin was performed using EU recommendations and MS Excel programs (2000) and IBM SPSS Statistics Base v.22. It was determined that the half-life (DT50) of milbemectin in the soil in Ukraine climate regions – 21.4±1.6 days, in agricultural crops (apples, grapes) – 11.8±0.6 days. Risk assessment of the population based on the possible daily intake of the pesticide with products, as well as the integral indicator of danger when consuming products grown treated by insecticide Milbenok showed that the risk is two level lower than the permissible level and is moderately dangerous. The working zone is relatively safe for workers when using the insecticide. The risk for persons involved in the application of the Milbenok on apple trees, considering the contamination of personal protective equipment, was acceptable. The MRL of milbemectin was substantiated in apples, grapes (berries) – 0.02 mg/kg, apples, grapes (juice) – 0.01 mg/kg, AAC in the soil – 0.2 mg/kg and the regulations for the safe using of the Milbenok (pre harvest interval and time of workers' exit to cultivated areas). The obtained results should be considered when deciding the need to control pesticide residues in food products and environmental objects.

Democratizing robust SERS nano-sensors for food safety diagnostics

Pesticide residues in food products cause human health concerns through food contamination, thereby necessitating their rapid and facile detection. Although surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique can rapidly and reliably detect pesticide residues, its application in food safety diagnostics is restricted by its high expense, low scalability, and low reproducibility of the necessary sensors. Herein, we present a low-cost, large-scale, and highly reproducible nanofabrication route for SERS nano-sensors, based on the thermophoresis-assisted direct deposition of plasmonic core–shell structured Ag-SiO2 nanoparticles produced in the gas phase, on temperature-controlled inexpensive glass substrates. The high-performance SERS substrates were fabricated at a laboratory production rate of 100 samples/hour, demonstrating the scalability and cost-effectiveness of our aerosol manufacturing strategy. Our highly sensitive SERS substrates rapidly and quantitatively detected pesticide residues in fresh orange, indicating their practical applicability for food safety diagnostics.

Organophosphate Pesticide Residues in Food Products in Kenya and their Chromatographic Detection: A Systematic Review

Organophosphate pesticides are used worldwide to control several pests and meet food demand. These chemicals harm non-target animals and people when misused. Thus, they are a health and environmental concern. The purpose of the systematic review was to synthesise the amount, breadth, and quality of evidence from empirical studies concerning the presence, type, and quantity of OPs in food products in Kenya. A systematic review was done by following the PRISMA protocol. For the identification of studies, the following databases were used: Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. The study focused on peer-reviewed articles published between January 2001 and August 2022. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria for the scoping review. The main methods used in detecting and quantifying organophosphates in the studies were High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Most studies (86.67%) reported significant levels of OPs in food products, exceeding the MRLs and the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADIs) set by the World Health Organization. Six of the studies (50%) reported the presence of OPs in plant products (vegetables, cereals, and fruits), while three (25%) found residues in animal products (milk and meat). The most notable OP compounds detected were chlorpyrifos, acephate, profenofos, diazinon, omethoate, and dimethoate. Most of the food samples in the reviewed studies presented contamination, making them a significant risk to human health due to bioaccumulation. Studies done in Kenya for the last 20 years continue to report high levels of organophosphate residues and their metabolites in food products, both from plant and animal origin. Although the residues are below MLRs in some samples, they can accumulate at higher levels in humans, becoming a severe health risk

Biosensors in Food Industry

One of the main challenges the food industry has to deal with is the growing need for fast and cost-effective methods of detecting allergens and pathogens in foods. Biosensors provide an express method of detecting pathogens, allergens, and pesticide residues in food products. In addition, they can detect contaminants, verify food composition, and define its freshness. As a rule, only qualified experts in food science and agriculture can conduct chemical and microbiological analyses, which are expensive and time-consuming because of long sampling or pre-treatment procedures. Biosensors can optimize this process: they are fast, non-destructive, and affordable. In general, biosensors can advance digital agriculture and food production. This article provides an overview of biosensors used in the food industry and their prospects.

Rapid determination of thiram and atrazine pesticide residues in fruit and aqueous system based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering

In this work, a rapid and sensitive strategy was developed to determine thiram (THI) and atrazine (ATZ) by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology. β-cyclodextrin modified silver nanoparticles (β-CD-AgNPs) were synthesized using β-CD as a reducing agent and encapsulating agent under alkaline conditions and employed as SERS substrate. The existence of β-CD can capture the molecules to form host–guest complex and fix molecular orientation in its cavity, thus ensuring the enhanced SERS signal intensity of THI and ATZ. The linear response extends from 2.56 × 10-8 to 2.56 × 10-3 mol/L for THI and 3.08 × 10-8 to 3.08 × 10-3 mol/L for ATZ, with the limits of detection (LOD) of 2.42 × 10-9 mol/L for THI and 7.26 × 10-9 mol/L for ATZ, respectively. The application of the proposed method in real samples including apple and water were investigated, and the results would help promote the application of SERS technology as a powerful analytical tool for detecting other pesticide residues. It is expected that this SERS strategy will provide great value for rapid detecting pesticide residues in food products and environmental systems.

Resistance Management through Brassica Crop–TuMV–Aphid Interactions: Retrospect and Prospects

Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) is an important threat to the yield and quality of brassica crops in China, and has brought serious losses to brassica crops in the Far East, including China and the north. Aphids (Hemiptera, Aphidoidea) are the main mediators of TuMV transmission in field production, and not only have strong virus transmission ability (small individuals, strong concealment, and strong fecundity), but are also influenced by the environment, making them difficult to control. Till now, there have been few studies on the resistance to aphids in brassica crops, which depended mainly on pesticide control in agriculture production. However, the control effect was temporarily effective, which also brought environmental pollution, pesticide residues in food products, and destroyed the ecological balance. This study reviews the relationship among brassica crop–TuMV, TuMV–aphid, and brassica crop–aphid interactions, and reveals the influence factors (light, temperature, and CO2 concentration) on brassica crop–TuMV–aphid interactions, summarizing the current research status and main scientific problems about brassica crop–TuMV–aphid interactions. It may provide theoretical guidance for opening up new ways of aphid and TuMV management in brassica crops.

Suspect screening and untargeted analysis of veterinary drugs in food by LC-HRMS: Application of background exclusion-dependent acquisition for retrospective analysis of unknown xenobiotics

The presence of veterinary drug and pesticide residues in food products pose considerable threats to human health. Monitoring of these residues in food is mainly carried out using targeted analysis by triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. However, these methods are not suitable for suspect screening and untargeted analysis of unknowns. The main objectives of this study were to develop a new high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)-based analytical strategy for retrospective analysis of suspect and unknown xenobiotics and to evaluate its performance in the tentative identification of 48 veterinary drugs as “unknowns” spiked in a pork sample. In the analysis, a newly developed background exclusion data-dependent acquisition (BE-DDA) technique was employed to trigger the product ion (MS/MS) spectral acquisition of the “unknowns”, and an in-house precise-and-thorough background-subtraction (PATBS) technique was applied to detect these “unknowns”. Results showed that untargeted data mining of the acquired LC-MS dataset by PATBS was able to find all the 48 veterinary drugs and 46 of them were triggered by BE-DDA to generate accurate MS/MS spectra. The dataset of recorded accurate full-scan mass and MS/MS spectra of all the xenobiotics of the test pork sample is defined as the xenobiotics profile. Searching the xenobiotic profile of the test pork sample using mass spectral data of selected veterinary drugs (as suspects) from the mzCloud spectral library led to the correct hits. Searching against the mzCloud spectral library using the mass spectral data of selected individual veterinary drugs (as unknowns) from the xenobiotics profile tentatively confirmed their identities. In contrast, analysis of the same sample using ion intensity-data dependent acquisition only recorded the MS/MS spectra for 34 veterinary drugs. In addition, a data independent acquisition method enabled the acquisition of the fragment spectra for 44 veterinary drugs, but their spectral data displayed only one or a few true product ions of individual analytes of interest along with many fragments from coeluted biological components and background noises. This study demonstrates that this analytical strategy has a potential to become a practical tool for the retrospective suspect screening and untargeted analysis of unknown xenobiotics in a biological sample such as veterinary drugs and pesticides in food products.

Assessment of systemic and carcinogenic health risks of persistent organochlorine pesticide residues in four fruit vegetables in south-western Nigeria

PurposeThe study assessed the levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and their potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks in four regularly consumed fruit vegetables.Design/methodology/approachThe OCPs’ residues were quantified using a gas chromatograph coupled with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and the dietary exposure of children, and adult consumers to the detected OCPs was evaluated using carcinogenic and systemic health risk estimations.FindingsAldrin, endrin, endrin aldehyde, a-endosulfan, β-endosulfan, endosulfan sulphate, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide and dieldrin were detected in the four fruit vegetables. The predominant OCP residue in carrot, cucumber, tomatoes and watermelon was endosulfan sulphate with mean concentrations of 2.532 mg kg−1, 1.729 mg kg−1, 2.363 mg kg−1 and 1.154 mg kg−1, respectively. The residues levels in some of the fruit vegetables were higher than their respective maximum residue levels (MRLs) of 0.01–0.05 mg kg−1 set by the European Commission with concentrations above MRLs ranging between 25.5% and 100%. The systemic health risk estimations showed that the hazard index (HI) values for carrot (3.20), cucumber (9.25), tomatoes (50.21) and watermelon (16.76) were >1 for children consumers and the respective HI values of 2.87, 15.57 and 5.20 for adult consumers of cucumber, tomatoes and watermelon were >1 which implies potential systemic health risks. Four carcinogens (aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide) had cancer risk index values greater than the acceptable risk of 1 in 1 million for both adult and children consumers.Originality/valueThe paper shows that despite the ban on the use of OCPs in Nigeria, they are still being used for agricultural production especially on some locally produced and regularly consumed fruit vegetables as reported in the present study. The non-existence of surveillance programmes on pesticide usage and the lack of proper monitoring of pesticide residues in food products including fruit and vegetables must have contributed to the levels of the detected OCP in the samples analysed. The current daily intake of OCP via contaminated vegetables may pose potential health risks to both the children and adult consumers of the fruit vegetables.

A new perspective for electrochemical determination of parathion and chlorantraniliprole pesticides via carbon nanotube-based thiophene-ferrocene appended hybrid nanosensor

The overuse of pesticides for agricultural activities causes adverse effects on human health and can lead to ecological pollution. Therefore, there has been a growing demand for accurate, sensitive, simple, and selective analytical methods for the determination of pesticide residues in food products, soil, etc. In this study, an electrochemical method was developed for the simultaneous determination of parathion and chlorantraniliprole pesticides based on novel electroactive and electropolymerizable group bearing hybrid nanomaterial. The novel hybrid ferrocene-thiophene modified by carbon nanotube (FT@CNT) was prepared by surface modification of the carbon nanotube with thiophene-ferrocene moieties via Click chemistry and used as an electrochemical nanosensor. The experimental conditions such as pH and concentration of the nanosensor were optimized prior to the electrochemical determination of parathion and chlorantraniliprole pesticides in tomatoes, apples and soil samples. The LODs for parathion and chlorantraniliprole in the linear range of 0.02−6.50 μmol/L and 0.01−7.00 μmol/L were determined as 5.3 nmol/L and 8.1 nmol/L, respectively. The accuracy of the electrochemical methods was evaluated by spike/recovery and HPLC analysis in food and soil samples. The comparison between the electrochemical method and other analytical techniques for the determination of pesticides revealed that the electrochemical methods were not only easy to operate and fast but also highly sensitive and selective for the simultaneous determination of parathion and chlorantraniliprole residues in food and soil samples. The hybrid material demonstrated excellent stability and high sensitivity towards parathion and chlorantraniliprole pesticides.

A highly sensitive detection of carbendazim pesticide in food based on the upconversion-MnO2 luminescent resonance energy transfer biosensor

Carbendazim (CBZ) pesticide residues in food products have become a growing concern in recent years. Herein, a sensitive biosensor for detecting CBZ was developed based on luminescent resonance energy transfer (LRET) from aptamer labeled upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs, donor) to manganese dioxide (MnO2, acceptor) nanosheets. The strong overlap between the absorption spectrum of MnO2 and the UCNPs fluorescence emission allowed the luminescence quenching. With the addition of CBZ, it tended to bind with specific aptamers, which culminated in the UCNPs-aptamer dropping off MnO2 nanosheets and restoring the fluorescence. A linear calibration plot between logarithmic CBZ concentration and fluorescence intensity was acquired in the range of 0.1–5000 ng·mL−1, with a limit of detection 0.05 ng·mL−1, indicating that the UCNPs- MnO2 aptasensor is a rapid, sensitive and specific quantitative detection platform for CBZ. Furthermore, the precision and accuracy of the developed LRET biosensor was validated by HPLC method with no significant differences.

Pesticide residue monitoring in the EuropeanUnion Agricultural Sector via modern analyticaltechniques.A review on Organophosphates

Organophosphate exposure, via foodproducts circulated within the EU member states, is monitored byvarious researchers and the results are provided to theircorresponding national authorities or to official European monitoringbodies. Different analytical methods for the detection of pesticideresidues in food products are applied, although the most preferablemethod used lately in private or educational laboratories is theQuEChERS method (a solid phase extraction technique) whereas theultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) system isgradually gaining ground in regard to pesticide residue trace analysis.This review focused on analyzing, from collected published data, thepreferred methods for the detection of organophosphate pesticideresidues in food products from the European Union AgriculturalSector. Even though a European legislation exists and applies strictguidelines, regulations and even bans, in order to reduce the use ofpersistent pesticides and to encourage the development of targetspecific pesticides, this review shows the current state for monitoringand detecting pesticide residues in general, as well as their possibledrawbacks and possible active solutions for pesticide monitoring intoday’s agriculture sector. In addition, results in the existing literatureare sufficient to demonstrate the difference in efficiency formonitoring and detecting organophosphate pesticide residues,however, more studies are needed to evaluate the available analyticaltechniques so as to strengthen the existing literature and to confirmthe existing data.

Pollution Status of Pesticide Residues in Food Products in Iran: A Mini-review within 2008-2018

Pollution Status of Pesticide Residues in Food Products in Iran: A Mini-review within 2008-2018

Ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent as green and efficient media combined with functionalized magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes as solid-phase extraction to determine pesticide residues in food products

A green and highly efficient ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent extraction combined with functionalized magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes solid-phase extraction method for determination of seven pesticide residues in food products was developed. Various types of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were screened for high extraction efficiencies and DES composing of proline and propylene glycol at 1:3 M ratio was selected as it exhibited highest yields. Extraction conditions were statistically optimized through response surface methodology using a Box-Behnken design. The established method was linear, precise, and accurate over the range of 0.1–50 μg mL−1. Limit of detection and limit of quantification were in the range of 0.02–0.05 μg mL−1 and 0.05–0.10 μg mL−1, respectively. The mean recoveries for pesticides ranged from 76.09 to 97.96% with relative standard deviation of 0.13–10.05%. The proposed method was successfully applied to analysis of the pesticides in real samples, which is a potentially promising technique for food matrix.

Meptyldinocap and azoxystrobin residue behaviors in different ecosystems under open field conditions and distribution on processed cucumber.

Several diseases and insects may cause damage to the normal growth of cucumber. Azoxystrobin and meptyldinocap, because of their novel mode of action, are effective against pathogens that have developed reduced sensitivity to other fungicides. Azoxystrobin is persistent in various crops and environments. However, there is a lack of research on the dissipation of these two pesticides, especially meptyldinocap. Analytes could be quantified with decent recoveries of 90-101%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 3.0-10.1%. The terminal residues of meptyldinocap and azoxystrobin in cucumber were all < limit of quantification (LOQ) (0.02 and 0.05 mg kg-1 ). The half-lives of meptyldinocap and azoxystrobin were 0.8-1.1 and 1.2-2.8 days, respectively. The processing factors (PFs) for washing were all < 1, but the removal rate for washing was < 29.0%. Peeling had a significant effect on the removal of pesticide. The largest residue reductions were noticed through the pickling process, but special care should be taken regarding residues in the pickling solution as pesticides could transfer to them from cucumber. A more interesting finding was that the degradation of two pesticides was accelerated by the addition of calcium oxide. Pesticide residues on cucumber decreased after these processes. These results enable the health-risks from dietary exposures to pesticide residues to be characterized. They enable maximum residue limits (MRLs) to be established for pesticide residues in food products. They also assist the optimization of food processing with regard to pesticide residue dissipation. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Reports on Recent Activities of European Food Safety Authority

This report provides an overview of the 2017 official control activities on pesticide residues carried out in the European Union (EU) Member States, Iceland and Norway. It summarises the results of both the 2017 EU-coordinated control programme (EUCP) and the national control programmes (NP). While the NPs are mostly risk based (so called enforcement samples) focusing on pesticides or products originating from countries where a number of exceedances have been observed in the past, the EUCP aims to present a statistically representative snapshot of the situation of pesticide residues in food products that are mostly consumed in the EU following a random sampling procedure. The report includes the outcome of a dietary risk assessment based on the results of the overall 2017 control programmes. The comprehensive analysis of the results of all reporting countries provides risk managers with sound-based evidence for designing future monitoring programmes, in particular for taking decisions on which pesticides and food products should be targeted in risk-based national programmes.

Assessment of Antimicrobial and Pesticide Residues in Food Products Sourced from Peasant Family Farming in Chile

The presence of antimicrobial and pesticide residues in products sourced from peasant family farms selected from eight regions of Chile was determined. A total of 204 samples were analyzed from family farm products, including honey, lettuce, tomato, strawberry, raspberry, lamb meat, and cow's milk. Pesticide residues were found in 43 of 107 samples tested for them, but only 4 samples had concentrations that exceeded the maximum residue limits (MRLs) set by Chilean regulations. As for animal products, 2 of 15 cow's milk samples tested positive for permethrin residues; however, these concentrations did not exceed Chilean MRLs. No pesticide residues were detected in honey samples. As for antimicrobial drugs, 4 of 14 lamb meat samples and 11 of 79 cow's milk samples tested positive for different classes of antimicrobial residues, such as tetracyclines, macrolides, aminoglycosides, and β-lactams. Among these, only three samples exceeded the MRLs for these matrices. Traces of tetracyclines and sulfonamides were detected in 7 of 29 honey samples. These findings show that these chemical contaminants are present in trace concentrations in foodstuffs produced by peasant family farms in Chile; however, most residues did not exceed the regulatory limits. This study is the first assessment of the presence of residues from antimicrobial drugs and pesticides in food products sourced from peasant family farms in Chile. Data about the current state of drug residues in this segment of food products provide a baseline for efforts to close possible gaps in current surveillance schemes.

Pesticide Residues in Food Grains, Vegetables and Fruits: A Hazard to Human Health

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture mainly to increase crop yields to cater huge supply of food products for increasing world population as well as to protect crops from pests and control insect-borne diseases. Increased use of pesticides results in contamination of the environment and the excess accumulation of pesticide residues in food products, which has always been a matter of serious concern. Pesticide residues in food and crops aredirectly related to the irrational application of pesticides to the growing crops. Accumulated pesticide residues in food products have been associated with a broad variety of human health hazards, ranging from short-term effects to longterm toxic effects. The preventive measures for pesticide residues in the developing countries are limited due to a shortage of funds and lack of defined government regulations. The impact of pesticide residues can be minimized by taking certain measures such as the rational use of pesticides, promoting organic farming, exploit natural and bio pesticides, and proper implementation and amendment of pesticide-related laws. The present article has been planned to review various aspects of pesticide residues including their accumulation in food products, impact on human health, and the preventive measures to counter their toxic effects.

Annona mucosa Jacq. (Annonaceae): A promising source of bioactive compounds against Sitophilus zeamais Mots. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

New control methods are necessary for stored grain pest management programs due to both the widespread problems of insecticide-resistance populations and the increasing concerns of consumers regarding pesticide residues in food products. Thus, this study evaluated the bioactivity of extracts and fractions obtained from different structures (leaves, branches, and seeds) of Annona mucosa (Annonaceae) against Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), which is a primary insect pest of stored cereals in tropical conditions. In the screening assay, the most promising treatments were extracts prepared from the seeds of Annona mucosa in hexane and dichloromethane (LC90 values of 259.31 and 425.15 mg kg−1, respectively) and, to a lesser extent, an extract prepared from the leaves in hexane (LC90 of 1047.15 mg kg−1). Based on these results and the chromatographic profile of the bioactive crude extracts, the extract prepared from the seeds in hexane was fractionated by liquid–liquid partitioning. The dichloromethane and hydroalcoholic fractions exhibited insecticidal activity against S. zeamais, and no significant difference was observed between these two fractions. The chemical analyses (1H NMR, HPLC, and TLC) showed the presence of alkaloids and acetogenins in the bioactive fractions, which are likely related to the observed bioactivity. Thus, A. mucosa, particularly its seeds, is a promising source of compounds that can be used as a prototype model and/or a biorational insecticide for the control of S. zeamais in stored cereals.