Food Safety Confirmed By EU Authority

RELEASE ISSUED: July 15 2010

Food Safety Confirmed by EU Authority

No pesticide residues were found in 62.1 % of food samples in the latest round of EU testing.  96.5% of the samples comply with the maximum residue levels (MRLs) of pesticides permitted for food products in the EU.    MRLs were exceeded in 0.9% of the organic product samples analysed.

These are some of the findings of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in  its Annual Report on Pesticide Residues, providing an overview of pesticide residues in food in the European Union during 2008.  ECPA welcomes the findings which uphold Europe’s ongoing record of consistently low residue levels in the food we eat.

“Given that 98.4 per cent of food crops are protected by advanced pest and disease management, the report’s findings are a testament to the high safety performance of European agriculture,” said Friedhelm Schmider, Director General of the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA). “This performance has been tracked consistently by these reports since their inception and is a clear confirmation of the commitment of European agriculture to the provision of healthy, affordable food.”

“It is important to recognize that about 50 per cent of European food crop production would be lost without advanced pest and disease management and that the key requirement for staying healthy is to eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.  Remember that the products monitored in this report fight the plant diseases, insect  infestations and fungi that attack our rich supply of affordable, nutritious food.”

“The report confirms once again that the presence of residues in our diet is minute and is far outweighed by the benefits of the affordable,  balanced and healthy diet that crop science provides.”

EFSA’s Pesticide Risk Assessment Peer Review Unit specifies that the presence of pesticides in foods, and in many cases even the exceedence of an MRL, does not necessarily imply a food safety concern. For the assessment of long-term exposure, EFSA concluded that none of the evaluated pesticides raised health concerns.

 “Plant protection products undergo exhaustive testing to set strict standards for application so that their use presents no threat to human health.  Further, as a sector leader, our industry works well beyond mere compliance to ensure that pesticides are used correctly.  We train farmers across Europe in the safe handling, application and disposal of pesticides. Safety is paramount at every stage.”

The European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) represents the crop protection industry interests at European level. Its members include all major companies and national associations across Europe.

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