Pesticides residues

Pesticide analysis for fruit and vegetables, cereals, spices, derivatives and other commodities

Plant protection products, the so-called pesticides, are fundamental in the food chain, especially to ensure crop productivity and health.

In a world where food demand is ever increasing, the use and control of pesticide residues are closely monitored, considering that they can remain in the soil and on agricultural products for a long time, up to the finished product, representing a potential hazard for consumers’ health. The quantity of residue must
not exceed the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) established by Regulation (EC) no. 396/2005.
In addition, specific regulations (e.g. Baby Food, organic production) or standards (e.g. integrated production) may further regulate the type and amount of residues.

A pesticide is a substance that prevents, destroys, or controls a harmful organism (‘pest’) or a disease or protects plants or plant products during production, storage, and transport.

The name “pesticides” includes, among others:

• herbicides,
• fungicides,
• insecticides,
• acaricides,
• plant growth regulators,
• repellents.

Concentrations of pesticides and their toxicity

MRLs of Pesticides

The ‘maximum residue level’ (MRL) means the upper legal level of a concentration for a pesticide residue in food or feed set in accordance with this Regulation, based on good agricultural practice and the lowest consumer exposure necessary to protect vulnerable consumers.

In the EU, Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 February 2005 on maximum residue levels of pesticides in or on food and feed of plant and animal origin and amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC (Text with EEA relevance), establish the Maximum residue limit (MRL). This regulation also contains provisions on official controls of pesticide residues in food of plant and animal origin that may arise from their use in plant protection.

Maximum residue levels for pesticides set in accordance with this Regulation shall not apply to products covered by Annex I intended for export to third countries and treated before export, where it has been established by appropriate evidence that the third country of destination requires or agrees with that particular treatment to prevent the introduction of harmful organisms into its territory.

In the EU, there are 476 active substances approved and EU-harmonised MRLs are set for more than 1,300 pesticides covering 378 food products/food groups. Frequent changes in the Regulation make it necessary to control more and more metabolites.

This Regulation shall apply to products of plant and animal origin or parts covered by Annex I to be used as fresh, processed, and/or composite food or feed in or on which pesticide residues may be present.

To assure the quality of the analytical results of Pesticides within the EU, this guidance was published and periodically updated SANTE/12682/2019 Guidance document of Analytical Quality Control and Method Validation Procedures for Pesticide Residues Analysis in Food and Feed. This guidance document describes the method validation and analytical quality control requirements to support the validity of data used for checking compliance with maximum residue limits, enforcement actions, or assessment of consumer exposure to pesticides in the EU.

Plant protection products cannot be placed on the market or used without prior authorization. A dual system is in place, under which EFSA evaluates active substances used in plant protection products and Member States evaluate and authorize the products at a national level. Plant protection products are principally regulated by framework Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.

Risk assessment of pesticide residues

EFSA is in charge of the risk assessment of the maximum residue levels (MRLs) of pesticides permitted in products of plant or animal origin marketed in the EU.

EFSA’s Pesticide Residues Unit gives scientific advice to the European Commission on possible risks related to pesticide residues in food and feed treated with plant protection products and makes proposals regarding the setting of MRLs. Furthermore, the Pesticide Peer Review Unit provides administrative and scientific support to the Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues (PPR Panel).

EFSA is responsible for the peer review of the risk assessment of active substances used in plant protection products in the EU. Each active substance (the active component against pests/plant diseases contained in the plant protection product) must be proven safe regarding human health, animal health, and environmental impact.

Several opinions, risk assessments, and studies have been carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and other organizations such as FAO, WHO, to evaluate:

• the toxicity of active substances,
• the cumulative risk from dietary exposure
• the recommended MRL based on the risk assessment results.

Mérieux NutriSciences’ range of services for pesticide residues:

Mérieux NutriSciences provides a wide range of services (including testing) to food manufacturers for pesticide quantification guaranteeing them to meet regulations and quality standards.

Mérieux NutriSciences is helping food manufacturers measure the concentration of pesticides in food products

• Fruits and vegetables
• Cereals, pulses, nuts, seeds
• Meat/Fish
• Dairy products and milk
• Mixed foods
• Spices
• Cocoa products
• Tea and herbs
• Egg products
• Fats and oils
• Feeds

with:

 – Multi residue Method (MRM): usually 400-1000 analytes with just one preparation step. Analyses are carried out by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS depending on the chemical characteristics of pesticides, sensitivity, interferences

 – Single residue Method (SRM): becomes necessary when the analytes to be analyzed cannot be detected with the multi-method: e.g.: hydrolysis necessary, polar pesticides (glyphosate, ethephon, chlorate, perchlorate), volatile substances (e.g. Dithiocarbamates or fumigants by HS-GC-MS), pesticides that undergo oxidation, issues with sensitivity or interferences.

With more sensitive equipment and new chromatographic options the trend here is to measure several analytes with similar properties together (e.g.: the polar pesticides ethephon, perchlorate/chlorate, phosphonic acid and fosetyl are analyzed together).

Mérieux NutriSciences determines residues of plant protection products in food and feed according to:

• official method UNI EN-15662 (QuEChERS procedure with and without hydrolysis),
• international methods for single molecule analysis (e.g. QuPPE method),
• analytical principles of document SANTE/11312/2021 “Guidance document on analytical quality
• control and method validation procedures for pesticide residues analysis in food and feed”.