Pesticide residues found in 40% of European foodstuffs

Pesticide residues were found in an average of 40% of fruit and vegetables tested, according to a recently published report summarising national monitoring programmes across the EU and Norway in 1996. The Maximum Residue Levels were exceeded in 3% of samples.


Lettuce was the crop that most commonly exceeded MRLs, followed by grapes, strawberries, apples and tomatoes. Calculations showed that acceptable daily intake levels were exceeded for dithiocarbarnates if products with the highest levels of residues were consumed regularly. The report and annexes can be viewed on the Internet.

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