It is taking too long to receive the results of laboratory tests on pesticide residues, as products could still be consumed to the possible detriment of consumers’ health.
The National Audit Office found that in 2014, 2015 and 2016 the Market Surveillance Directorate re-ceived the laboratory test results on average 29, 21 and 40 days following submission.
As an absolute minimum, the contracted laboratory would be able to provide test results within three to four days but only if the national authorities have reasonable doubt that the samples are critically suspect and that the contracted laboratory has testing slots available.
“The foregoing suggests that even if this minimum lead-time was secured, consumers could have been at risk since the MSD would not have withdrawn the product batch from the market,” the NAO said, adding that the situation was not as easy as it sounded because the directorate exposed itself to legal action if it were proven that a product was withdrawn from the market unnecessarily.
The World Health Organisation estimates that pesticides poison at least three million people every year, in cases proving fatal.
Recent reports show that maximum residue levels (MRLs) of pesticides in agricultural produce ex-ceeded tolerance limits.
The MSD’s inspections regarding MRLs focus on the Pitkali and farmer’s markets as well as imported goods. This means that testing did not cover about half of the 30 items of agricultural produce considered by the National Statistics Office as being among the most consumed products locally.
During the three-year period reviewed, the MSD also failed to carry out subsequent inspections targeting those whose produce had failed previous MRL tests.
None of the 15 economic operators who had legal action instituted against them was subjected to a second inspection. Having said that, the courts dismissed all but one of the cases.
On eight occasions, the case was dismissed because witnesses summoned to testify on test reports produced by an MSD-contracted accredited lab could not be traced.
One case was dismissed because the MRL test results produced as evidence emanated from a local laboratory that was not accredited to perform such tests.
The directorate is in the process of initiating legal proceedings related to 22 irregularities noted during 2015 and 2016.
Based on the 10 most consumed agricultural products in Malta, from 2014 to 2016, the MSD did not perform tests on watermelons, sugar melons and vegetable marrows.
Furthermore, it did not sample any of the 10 most consumed products in consecutive years.
Products that failed the MRL tests in previous years but which were not tested in 2014-2016 included oranges, carrots, beans, spinach, cucumber, potatoes, sweet peppers and olive oil.
Influential agencies such as the Environment Working Group USA, listed a number of products that are considered as high risks in terms of pesticide residue.
Of the 12 top-ranked products, over the three-year period under review, the MSD did not test three – celery, cherries and nectarines.