Victor Farrugia, Attard
Proper monitoring for pesticide residues
I have read Sarah Jane Meli's clinical answer to the letter written by Greta Rapinett. However, this reply does not fully address Ms Rapinett's concern.
Random sampling of fruit and vegetables cannot take place on produce in the field but must be taken at the point of sale either at the wholesale market or at the retail outlets. Upon application, pesticides start to decompose and what is desired is that the level of decomposition of pesticides would have reached a level whereby any traces, if any, of pesticides left on the produce put up for sale is considered safe for human consumption. If pesticides are applied by the grower as recommended on the label, that is at the appropriate rate and frequency on the approved produce, and the appropriate post-harvest interval (the time between the last application and harvesting) is observed there should be no danger to the consumer.
As it takes a few days before the results from the accredited lab are available, it is not feasible to withhold the produce from being placed on the market. What is vital is that appropriate follow-up action is taken following any results that exceed or approximate the maximum residue levels (MRLs) or any residues found of a pesticide on a crop for which that pesticide was not authorised. Action consists in tracing the grower of the sample and going through an investigation so as to find out what went wrong and why the grower is not adhering to good plant protection practice.
It would eliminate Ms Meli's and the public's worries if the appropriate authority confirms that the above is taking place.
EC Regulation 396 of 2005 is directly applicable to all member states so that there should be uniformity in all EU countries. Findings of residues in crops are published by all member states. It is also to be noted that in Malta less pesticides are applied by local growers than in other European states.
MRLs are usually set at the level of analytical determination and are just a legal standard. One must not infer that pesticide residues found in a crop, which slightly exceed the relevant MRLs, are by themselves necessarily toxic to consumers.
Popular Stories
In Discussion
1 Comment
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Galea. L
Aug 29th 2009, 13:52
"As it takes a few days before the results from the accredited lab are available, it is not feasible to withhold the produce from being placed on the market."
So the consumer has to lump it and if the produce had more than it was allowed s/he would have consumed the pesticides.
Why should the agriculture department not have a laboratory to sample every product from every producer in a few hours without the products being allowed to be sold before the results are known?
A relative of mine once bought some fruit while in Gozo and after eating one after having washed and peeled it he had to rush to hospital because of the reaction to the pesticide which clearly indicated that the farmer had sprayed his crops very recently.