The European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) has hailed the recently-released 2006 pesticide residue report as evidence that the majority of food in the EU market is both safe and of high quality.
The report, which documents residue findings of a sample basket of food containing both home-grown and imported food products, found that 96 per cent of products contained no residues above the Maximum Residue Level (MRL) set by the European Food Safety Authority.
'The evidence shows that the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables far outweigh any concerns about pesticide residues,' said Friedhelm Schmider, director general at the ECPA. 'This report demonstrates that farmers are keeping our food well within the safety margins.'
The ECPA added that while it is important to limit residues and test pesticides thoroughly, they remained crucial to fighting pests and diseases and maintaining a high quality of life in Europe.
