The number of samples containing pesticide residues exceeding legal limits has decreased in the European Union compared to the previous year.
About 88,000 samples were collected in Europe in 2021. Overall, 96% of them fell within the legally permitted levels. Nearly 35,000 samples contained residues that did not exceed legal limits.
Over 2,000 samples exceeded the maximum residue level (MRL) after accounting for measurement uncertainties and were therefore subject to legal sanctions or enforcement action. This rate has decreased from 5.1% in 2020 to 3.9% in 2021.
Findings were obtained from a report on pesticide residues in food published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
The results of the monitoring program provide information for estimating the dietary exposure of EU consumers to pesticide residues. EFSA found that the foods analyzed in 2021 are unlikely to pose public health concerns.
Samples from non-EU countries showed a five-fold higher MRL violation rate of 10.3% and non-compliance rate of 6.4% compared to food produced within the EU.
Ethylene oxide, glyphosate, organics
Unapproved chlorpyrifos and fluazifop were found mainly in wheat and broccoli, grown in the EU, randomly sampled, and at levels above legal limits.
Of the 2,011 samples analyzed for ethylene oxide, 133 exceeded the MRL. Of these, 25 were Indian sesame seeds. The problem was discovered in his late 2020, when his control of Indian sesame at the border increased to 50%. EFSA also recommends that countries monitor turmeric, rice and chilies from India for substances.
Of all samples analyzed, 44% contained quantifiable concentrations of one or more pesticides. Multiple residues were reported in 23,177 samples and one raisin sample of unknown origin reported up to 39 different pesticides.
Glyphosate was not quantified in nearly 15,000 samples. 209 samples were detected but below his MRL, and 23 samples had residues above his MRL. The violation rate is lower than in 2020.
Overall, 5,408 organic samples contained no quantifiable residues. 1,005 samples contained residues below or above the MRL, 117 samples contained residues above the MRL, of which 68 were non-compliant. Ethylene oxide had the highest number of MRL violations, with 18 cases. Imazalil and chlorpyrifos, which are not approved for organic farming, were detected in some crops.
For honey, 894 samples had no quantifiable levels of residue and 119 samples were within legally permitted limits. In 22 samples he exceeded the MRL, 17 of which were noncompliant. In total, 28 pesticides were detected. Thiacloprid and acetamiprid were the most common.
No residues were quantified in 1,475 samples of baby food. 182 samples were found containing residues below the MRL. Based on measurement uncertainty, 29 samples exceeded the MRL and 10 samples gave non-conforming results.
Selected product testing
Of the approximately 14,000 samples analyzed as part of the EU coordinated control programme, 98% were within legal limits. 295 samples exceeded the MRL, 184 of which failed based on measurement uncertainty. Over 5,500 samples had pesticide residues within legally acceptable levels.
The program covered randomly collected samples from 12 products. In 2021, these were eggplants, bananas, broccoli, fungi, grapefruits, melons, peppers, table grapes, virgin olive oil, wheat, beef tallow and chicken eggs.
There were no non-conforming chicken egg samples for fipronil. Overall, out of over 55,000 fipronil results, 32 exceeded the legal limit.
Excess was impacted by issues with Turkish grapefruit. This has raised the level of official regulation for such cargo to 10%.
Twenty-eight pesticides were quantified in green peppers from Cambodia and 19 pesticides were detected in table grapes from Turkey.
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