Imported food found to carry higher pesticide residues
© Adobe Stock Imported cereals, fruit and vegetables have been found to carry residues from 48 pesticides which British farmers are banned from using.
New government testing has also found twice as many cancer-linked pesticides in imported produce of non-animal origin compared to domestically produced food, according to Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK).
See also: British farmers undercut by lower pesticide standards
The anti-pesticide group was referencing a report published by the UK government’s Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food (PRiF), which tested UK and imported produce for various categories of pesticides and those which exceeded maximum residue levels (MRLs).
One of the findings, the group said, is that residues from 48 pesticides not approved for use by British farmers were found on produce imported from several countries, including neonicotinoid imidacloprid on potatoes, peas and grapes.
The testing exercise involved 917 samples of UK-grown produce and 1,046 from overseas.
In all, 127 different pesticides were detected on imports and 60 on UK-grown produce.
Nick Mole of PAN UK said that, for pesticides that pose a risk to consumer health, “imports tend to be far worse than food grown here in the UK”.
Rigorous safety
But CropLife UK, representing manufacturers, is disputing the claims, pointing out that MRLs are there to reflect farming practices in the producing country, and not safety thresholds.
“MRLs facilitate global food trade and are always set within the rigorous safety standards that protect consumers,” said CropLife UK chief executive Dave Bench.
MRLs, he added, were primarily intended as a check that pesticides are being used in compliance with the approved label and to assist the international trade in produce.
He warned that “irresponsible” claims risked undermining consumer trust in food and the “robust” protections in place for food safety and the environment.
Exports
In a separate report, the export of pesticides manufactured in the UK, but banned from use domestically, has been highlighted.
Greenpeace’s investigation unit Unearthed and Swiss campaign group Public Eye said it had analysed documents that companies submitted to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) when they were exporting pesticides prohibited for use in the UK.
The documents – obtained under Freedom of Information laws – showed that, in 2023, UK companies exported 8,500t of pesticides, including the herbicide active ingredient diquat, now banned for use in UK potato production.
Adverse health impacts of residues ‘unlikely’
The HSE has concluded that pesticide residues detected in food samples checked from January to March this year were either “unlikely” or “not expected” to have any impact on health.
“We are pleased to note that none of the samples contained residues which we understand might be genotoxic (cancer causing),” said Ann Davison, chair of PRiF, in the latest pesticide residues monitoring programme report.