Safe food
Bon appétit
We all have concern about the food we eat, and rightly so - we eat it!
We also enjoy food, not only because we know that it can maintain our health, but also because it is a pleasure to eat good food. But how do we know that our food is safe; can we be sure that food produced using pesticides is suitable for our consumption, and what about any pesticide residues that remain in, or on, our food?
Science
Pesticides, like pharmaceuticals, are the most thoroughly tested chemicals in the world, and only those that pass strict government testing are authorised for use.
Rigorous scientific assessments ensure that their use is safe both for human health and the environment. Accordingly, the European Directorate General for Health and Consumers (DG SANCO, European Commission) states:
"In the European Union, no plant protection product can be used unless it has first been scientifically established that: they have no harmful effects on consumers, farmers and local residents and passers-by; they do not cause unacceptable effects on the environment; they are sufficiently effective against pests".
Pesticide residues
A residue is a minuscule trace of pesticide that sometimes remains on the treated crop. In parallel with the European legislation on the authorisation of pesticides, residues are also carefully regulated at European level and undergo an equally stringent scientific assessment to ensure that our food is completely safe for consumption.
To ensure high food standards, Maximum Residue Levels (MRL) have been set for each pesticide. An MRL is defined as the maximum amount of residue legally permitted on food. Once residues are demonstrated to be safe for consumers, MRLs are set based on rigorous evaluation of each legally authorised pesticide. MRLs act as an indicator for the correct use of pesticides, and ensure compliance with legal requirements for low residues on unprocessed food.
Government monitoring exercises show that, overall, the vast majority of food does not contain measurable pesticide residues or has residues below the Maximum Residue Level (MRL). Very occasionally MRLs are exceeded, however these foods are still completely safe to eat as the residue levels governed by European legislation are set well above any level of concern and include broad safety margins.
In fact, according to the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA), "(...) MRLs are not necessarily toxicological safety limits, but reflect the use of minimum quantities of pesticides to achieve effective plant protection, applied in such a manner that the amount of residue is the smallest practicable. Before an MRL is established, a risk assessment has to prove that the limit is safe for consumer health".
Interview with Mr Peter Watson, registration expert, Dow AgroSciences and Dr Otto Klein, residues expert, Bayer CropScience about pesticide residues:
Monitoring residues
Each year, the European Commission publishes a report on pesticides residues contained in food in all of the EU Member States. National reports are prepared based on an EU mandatory plan; they provide an overview of the monitoring data collected on pesticide residues.
The general aim of the report is to provide data on representative pesticide exposure throughout Europe.
Based on scientific criteria, controlled tests are carried out on the contents of a 'food basket' composed of some of the most commonly eaten fruits and vegetables in Europe, produce originating from both within and outside of the EU.
The tests are generally conducted on a core group of foods - that appear in each annual round of tests - and several specially selected foods. In a recent report, 9 commodities were tested: oranges, mandarins, pears, potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, spinach, beans without pods, and rice.
Year after year, the annual report shows that consumers can be reassured about the food they eat. In fact, 96,5% of samples tested by national authorities and EFSA contains no residue above the maximum reside level. This means that either the food did not contain any residues at all, or contained traces far below any established legal limits.
Very occasionally, residues occur at levels above MRLs; 3,5% did so in a resent report. This may have happened because the pesticides were not correctly applied, or because of exceptional climatic or crop conditions.
Because of the very wide safety margins used while setting MRLs, residue levels above MRLs do not usually mean that there is a health concern. As emphasised by EFSA, "It should be noted that the presence of pesticides, even an exceedance of an MRL, does not imply that this is a food safety concern. To ascertain the latter exposure assessments are required (...). If a residue exceeds the MRL, it is not necessarily true that the consumer is at risk. In the latter case, an assessment of the expected exposure and a comparison with the toxicological reference values is necessary to conclude whether the food poses a consumer health risk".
According to the European Food Safety Authority, the objective of ensuring exposure to pesticides well below safety levels is largely achieved. It confirms that the food available on the market continues to be safe and of the highest quality. In fact, as highlighted by the UK Pesticide Residues Committee, scientific evidence shows that the health benefits of fruits and vegetables far outweigh any concerns about potential pesticide residues.
Streamlining trade, and guiding farmers
MRLs can be considered trading standards, standards used to ensure that imported and exported food is safe to eat. In practice, they allow the free movement of goods within the EU, from the rest of the world into the EU, and facilitate EU exports to the rest of the world.
Since the 1st of September 2008 MRLs have been established by an independent scientific authority at European level. In practice, one MRL is set for one crop and one pesticide for all EU countries. This provides guidance and options for farmers, allowing them to use the best suited pesticide for their crop.
