the uk fresh produce sector should take considerable pride in the latest annual results from the Pesticide Residues Committee. The 2008 survey, released last month, confirmed that almost 99 per cent of food and drink consumed in the UK either contained no pesticide residues or contained residues within maximum residue levels (MRLs).

The study covered more than 4,100 samples of food and drink products, and included tests for well over 600,000 food and pesticide combinations.

Encouragingly, the proportion of products exceeding MRLs was further reduced from 1.8 per cent in 2007 to 1.2 per cent in 2008. This was despite changes to the legislation in 2008, which significantly cut MRLs for many products to a default level of 0.01mg/kg - equivalent to one part per 100 million.

Pesticides play a key role in providing a secure supply of safe, affordable and nutritious foodstuffs. These results provide an independent assurance that consumers can have every confidence in the food and drink on sale in the UK.

For producers, the report offers objective confirmation that effective industry stewardship - through programmes such as the Voluntary Initiative - is delivering year-on-year improvements in the responsible use of pesticides as part of an integrated industry approach to crop protection.

Pesticide Residues Committee chairman Dr Ian Brown has reiterated that the health benefits of eating five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables as part of a helathy, balanced diet are well proven and far outweigh any food safety concerns about pesticide residues.

The report also clearly explains that the presence of a residue does not mean a foodstuff is not safe to eat, even when MRLs are exceeded. MRLs are not safety limits, but reflect the residue levels likely to be present when a product is used in accordance with its conditions of use.

It is disappointing, therefore, that the Soil Association persists in its scaremongering tactics to present these encouraging results as a cause for concern.

The key point is that - whatever the production method, whether conventional or organic - fresh fruit and vegetables are an essential part of our diet, yet UK consumers are not eating enough. And with concerns over rising levels of obesity, lack of exercise and poor diet, today’s recession-hit families must not be misled about the safety and benefits of affordable fresh produce.

Together, the industry must act to counter this misinformation and demonstrate that responsible and effective pesticide stewardship is, in fact, in place to protect our future food supply.