Foodservice Footprint Unknown-81 Pesticides residues in food remain low, says EFSA Foodservice News and Information Out of Home sector news  news-email

Pesticides residues in food remain low, says EFSA

Europeans continue to eat food that is “largely free of pesticide residues” or which contains levels of residues within legal limits, according to the European Food Safety Authority.

Of the 84,657 samples for 791 pesticides analysed in 2016, more than 96% were found to be within legal limits; around 51% were free of any quantifiable residues.

In addition, 5,495 samples of organic food were taken, of which 98.7% were within legal limits; 83.1% of the samples were free of quantifiable residues.

In the UK, a total of 2,967 samples were tested – only 4.3% were above the permitted maximum residue levels. Almost half (49.2%) were below quantifiable levels.

Vytenis Andriukaitis, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said the report “confirms the high level of compliance of food on the shelves in the EU”.

The use of chemicals in agriculture has been thrust into the spotlight of late – there has been controversy regarding the health impact of glyphosate (including the assessments made by EFSA) as well as the mega-merger between Bayer and Monsanto.

Some campaigners in the UK are calling on the government to use Brexit as an opportunity to “clean up agriculture” and adopt a chemical-free farming policy.