Monitoring carried out by the independent Pesticide Residues Committee has confirmed that fresh produce supplied to schoolchildren as part of the School Fruit & Vegetable Scheme (SFVS) is consistently safe to eat.

Results from the latest testing programme for the autumn term in 2008 indicated that all samples either contained no detectable residues or residues below the maximum residue level (MRL).

Many UK fresh produce businesses are involved in the SFVS, which has contributed to a successful increase in consumption - a September 2007 report found that 5 A DAY consumption among schoolchildren had risen from 32 per cent in 2004 to 44 per cent in 2006.

The presence of a residue does not mean that produce is not safe to eat and MRLs are not safety limits, but are based on good agricultural practice and are usually well below the levels that would be a concern for people’s health.

Nigel Jenney, chief executive of the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC), said: “With rising obesity levels and poor diet among children, an ambitious programme is needed to tackle this public health issue. The FPC has lobbied the UK government to take advantage of an EU-wide scheme to allow more schoolchildren to enjoy fresh produce. We recently welcomed the announcement that the Scottish government is taking up additional funding on offer from the EU, and we will continue to press the UK government to think again and to seize this opportunity to expand the success of the current SFVS.

“There are stringent standards in place to ensure that the UK consumer can enjoy healthy, good-quality fresh produce, including a rigorous testing and regulatory process for the use of pesticides. FPC’s Code of Practice for the Control of Pesticides is recognised by the SFVS and throughout the industry as a well-established practical guide on managing pesticide use and residues. We believe that it is important for everyone within the fresh produce industry to ensure that they maintain high standards and follow good practice to reassure consumers that every care is taken by both UK and overseas growers.”

In a survey by the Food Standards Agency, UK consumers indicated that they are more concerned about rising food prices than about pesticides in food. It showed concerns about pesticides have decreased over time and are now at their lowest level since tracking began in 2001.

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