The Pesticide Residues Committee has published its report on monitoring of residues on produce supplied for the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme in the spring term of 2009 to criticism from the tabloid media over the presence of residues in fruit supplied to children.
The Daily Express reported “a cocktail of chemicals” had been found on produce “handed out to children” and organic lobby The Soil Association said the presence of residues was “a scandal.”
However committee chairman Dr Ian Brown said: “I understand that people are concerned about pesticide residues in their food, but as a doctor I cannot state too strongly the importance of eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Scientific evidence shows that the health benefits are far greater than the risk from pesticide residues."
In the testing programme his committee surveyed 13 apple samples, 12
banana samples, 12 carrot samples, 6 pear samples and 17 soft citrus samples.
The samples were collected between January and March 2009. The majority of samples either contained no detectable residues of any of the pesticides sought, or contained residues below the maximum residue level (MRL) for those pesticides. Some 46 samples contained residues of more than one pesticide.
The committee said in its report: “The risk assessment process is not standing still. We are aware that some consumers are concerned by the ‘cocktail effect’- the possible implications of residues of more than one chemical occurring in,
say, a single portion of fruit or vegetables or the interaction between mixtures of pesticides and veterinary medicines at residue levels.
Where more than one pesticide residue is found in a sample, we produce a separate table, which identifies each sample and what was found. If more than one organophosphate/carbamate is found we will undertake an additional risk assessment.”
Nigel Jenney, ceo of the Fresh Produce Consortium added: “The presence of a residue does not mean that food is not safe to eat. 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.”
No comments yet