Decrease of residues of pesticides in food

2012/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna
• Dietetika/Elikagaiak

The European Union's responsible food security organization (EFSA) has indicated that cases of residues of pesticides that exceed the allowed limit have decreased. According to the latest report, in 2006 it exceeded 4.4% and in 2009 1.2%. According to the EFSA, this decline is due in part to the normative change made in 2008.

For the preparation of the report, 67.000 samples were analyzed in 27 countries of the European Union, Iceland and Norway. The results show that especially in fruits and vegetables the limit allowed for pesticides is exceeded, especially in grapes, peppers and eggplants.

The EFSA warns that pepper pesticides are the most harmful to people's health, but adds that, despite eating vegetables and fruits with traces of pesticides, the risk of damage is low.

Other details such as that the overcoming of the limit of pesticides is more frequent in imported foods (6.9%) than in the European Union (1.5%) and that meats and ecological foods are below average.