Pesticide Residues In Products Research Articles

Pesticide residues in food in the European Union: Analysis of notifications in the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed from 2002 to 2020

The European Union (EU) has one of the strictest pesticide policies. As one component of the regulatory framework, Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 sets harmonised maximum residue levels for pesticide residues in food and feed in the European Union to ensure high levels of consumer protection. Under certain circumstances, a notification in the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) is released for pesticide residues exceeding a specific or a default maximum limit. Despite being a major food hazard in the European Union, no detailed analysis of notifications on pesticide residues over a longer period is available to date. Thus, an analysis of notifications on pesticide residues in food submitted in the RASFF between 2002 and 2020 was conducted. A total of 5211 notifications, including 15.8% alert notifications, 36.5% information notifications and 47.8% border rejections, were analysed with a focus on concerned products, causative pesticides and involved countries of origin. The notifications often concerned vegetables (53.8%) and fruits, tree nuts (24.2%) and reported a total of 7413 residues involving 251 pesticides in products mainly originating from third countries (82.4%), with multiple residues in 22.0% of notifications. Overall, the notifications on pesticide residues in food appear to be linked to the regulatory framework and selected risk management measures. While import controls and border rejections appear to be an effective means of protecting European consumers from non-compliant and potentially harmful products from third countries, the problem of unauthorised pesticide residues in products from EU/EFTA countries and of products not available at the time of publication in the RASFF might require further measures for food safety in the European single market. • An analysis of RASFF notifications on pesticide residues in food was conducted. • 5211 notifications on pesticide residues were released from 2002 to 2020. • The notifications often concerned vegetables (53.8%) or fruits/tree nuts (24.2%). • 7413 residues of 251 pesticides were reported, often as multiple residues. • Products from third countries were involved in 82.4% of notifications.

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.

Prediction of agrochemical residue data on fruit using an informatic system (PARDIS model)

A 'step-by-step' method was used to develop a simplified procedure for calculating pesticide residue levels on fruit at harvest by considering the application of the compound and the relevant routes of loss. The model is applicable to cases where the most important exposure route is by direct spray to the canopy of the crop and where uptake into the plant by the roots can be disregarded. The exposure dose is calculated by considering the proportion of total crop cover represented by the fruits. The loss processes considered are photodegradation, uptake, volatilization and washoff. The outputs of the model were compared with measured residues of pesticides on pear. Analysis of the model fit demonstrates that the model predicted the measured data with a good level of accuracy for four of seven investigated pesticides. The predicted/observed quotients are close to 1, as is the modelling efficiency, and there are no great differences between the predicted and observed values. Taking into account the extreme simplicity of the model and the complexity of the environmental processes considered, these results encourage further research into the modelling of residue behaviour in food commodities. The objectives of this work were to produce a tool to predict pesticide residues in products of plant origin, to complement monitoring of pesticide levels and to be useful in evaluating the effect of government policies on food safety. All predicted values were below the maximum levels fixed for pesticide residues in pear, as amended in Council Directives 86/362/EEC and 90/642/EEC.

Pesticide residues in products of plant origin in the European Union. Sampling strategy and results from the co-ordinated EU monitoring programmes in 1996 and 1997.

The results of a co-ordinated monitoring programme for pesticide residues in the European Union and Norway carried out in 1996 and 1997 are presented. The aim of this programme is to work towards a system, which makes it possible to estimate actual dietary pesticide intake for the population of the European Union. Based on a statistically dérived sampling plan and within the limited number of pesticides/commodities analysed, the most critical pesticides (benomyl group and dithiocarbamates) and commodities (mandarine and lettuce) were identified. In case of detected non-compliances, repeated sampling and, if necessary, enforcement actions are to be taken by national authorities. The programme will be continued in the next years.