The use of pesticides is necessary to control various pests and transmitters of pathologies, but excessive use of them can lead to a greater intake of chemicals through the diet and this could end up harming the consumer's health. To avoid this, it is key to keep track of the presence of this type of residue in food. This has recently been done by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which has examined 87,860 samples of 12 specific products to observe their pesticide content and whether they pose a health hazard.
The agency has analyzed aubergines, bananas, broccoli, grapefruit, melons, sweet peppers, table grapes, virgin olive oil, wheat, bovine fat, chicken eggs and cultivated mushrooms from the European Union and has concluded that in 1996, In 1% of the samples studied, the remains of pesticides were within the limits, according to the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU). On the other hand, 55% did not include detectable amounts.
The analysis reveals that only 3.9% of the samples present an amount of residues greater than the limit set by the legislation. The pesticide with the highest non-compliance rate turned out to be one that is not authorized in the European Union: ethylene oxide (6.6% exceeded the limit).
The foods with the highest amount of pesticides were grapefruit (9.92%), sweet peppers (3.44%), bananas (2.26%), and cultivated mushrooms (2.18%). However, EFSA calls for calm and ensures that there is no danger. "The probability that the health of consumers is endangered due to exposure to pesticides is low," they say.
The OCU also gives a reassuring message in a report in which it exposes the agency's results: "Comparing the results of this campaign with the previous one, we can verify that the situation has improved: there is a decrease in the percentage of samples that exceed the limit of pesticide residues allowed (3.9% in 2021 vs. 5.1% in 2020)".
To conclude, the consumer organization points out that to reduce the pesticide content of food there are some things that can be done at home, such as peeling fruits and vegetables, washing them, opting for seasonal pieces or choosing organically grown products.
