I’m still uncertain about the naming and shaming policy used by the Pesticides Residue Committee.

The lapses highlighted by PRC research should not be seen as anything less than a serious problem for the UK trade and were, as usual, picked up on by pressure group Friends of the Earth and several national newspapers.

But until someone - anyone - decides it would be a good idea to let all journalists in on the MRL secret the same headlines and scare articles will appear, with the same irresponsible lack of context.

If, perish the thought, any national newspaper had the audacity to tell Naomi Campbell, for instance, that she had used a cocktail of chemicals, its editor would be up before the beak in no time. Brush an entire industry with the same tar, and add for good measure that it is also passing this cocktail on to the nation’s children and putting their health at risk, and no-one raises as much as a murmur, let alone a writ.

Good luck to Worldwide Fruit and Agricola Fraiburgo for responding, but did anyone read that anywhere in this week’s national media coverage?

Back on the industry’s side of the fence, the PRC report for the period October-December 2003 covered more fresh produce lines than usual, but the results were disappointing and indicated that the trade did not pay enough attention to changes in legislation last year.

The FPC says on page 11 that the PRC has been scrupulously fair in its research and publication of results. That’s good - now let’s see the PRC tell the public what the results actually mean.