What about pesticide residues?

A residue is a very small trace of pesticide that sometimes remains on the treated crop. The majority 58.5% in 2006) of food does not contain any pesticide residues. When they do occasionally occur, these foods are still completely safe to eat as the residue levels set by European legislation are set well above any level of concern and include wide safety margins.

Watch our webinar on pesticide residues and MRLs.

Click here for the European Commission’s regulation on pesticide residues (Regulation 396/2005) (pdf).

Click here for the Commission response to Parliamentary question on MRLs and soft drinks.

Together with other food chain partners, ECPA works towards achieving the lowest possible levels of pesticide residues in food as well as protecting farmers who use them. The food chain industry has set up targeted training programmes for farmers to ensure targeted, safe use of pesticides. This is key to achieve this goal. “I understand that consumers are concerned about the food they eat and I am too. That is why I have been following specific trainings on the safe, effective and sustainable use of pesticides” says Xavier Mardelet, a farmer in France.

Efforts are constantly underway to ensure that clear and concise instructions are displayed on the label. ECPA is committed to the sustainable use of pesticides “as little as possible, as much as necessary”.