Fresh produce association Freshfel Europe has reacted strongly to Greenpeace Germany’s presentation of its annual supermarket ranking with regard to Plant Protection Product (PPP) residues found in fruits and vegetables, along with its buying guide ‘Food without Pesticides’.

Greenpeace’s document encourages the non-regulatory developments undertaken by several retailers and calls on consumers to opt for organic produce to avoid intake of PPP residues.

“This guide is the last in a row of diverse questionable communications, with the same underlying message implying a disproportionately high risk associated with consuming fruits and vegetables containing minute quantities of PPP residues,” said a Freshfel statement. “It cannot be stressed strongly enough that products exceeding Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) are unacceptable to all food chain operators, and a plethora of controls are in place to verify these products do not reach the consumer.

“However, Freshfel Europe questions the increased demands placed upon fruit and vegetable suppliers to ensure that residues of PPPs on fruits and vegetables do not exceed an arbitrary proportion of the recognised national or European MRLs. Newly-imposed, non-regulatory limits are further confusing suppliers who are seeking clear residue parameters.”

Frederic Rosseneu, Freshfel’s food safety advisor, underlined the importance of swiftly implementing a full set of EU-harmonised MRLs applicable across the whole EU. “The myriad of MRLs applicable across the entire EU and their constant modification has proved the single biggest barrier to fresh produce trade in the EU,” he said. “Consumer confidence in the safety of fruits and vegetables must not be eroded, given the produce’s overwhelming health benefits.”