The Guardian reported that a study covering nearly 100,000 samples of the most common domestic fruits in Europe showed that the number of fresh fruits with residues of highly toxic pesticides increased sharply between 2011 and 2019. Overall, toxic pesticide contamination increased by 53% in nine years.
Blackberries and celery are among the most pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables in Europe.
The European Pesticide Action Network (PAN) analyzed European government data and found that up to one-third of apple samples and one-half of blackberry samples were found to contain pesticide residues. These were highly toxic pesticides, some of which have been linked to diseases such as cancer, heart disease and birth defects.
The residue level in kiwifruit increased from 4% in 2011 to 32% in 2019; during the same period, the contamination rate in cherries more than doubled, from 22% to 50%.
Among the samples, the fruits with the most serious pesticide contamination were blackberries (51%), peaches (45%), strawberries (38%), cherries (35%) and apricots (35%); the vegetables were celery (50%), celery root (45%) and kale (31%).
Healthy food contaminated with pesticides: Academics call report 'shocking'
Nicole Van Dam, a professor at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), called the report "shocking."
“What’s the point of eating healthy if even healthy fruits and vegetables are sprayed with toxins?” she asked.
"Consumers are in a difficult situation. They are advised to eat fresh fruit, but much of it is contaminated with the most toxic pesticide residues," said Salomé Roynel, a spokesperson for PAN Europe. "We know very well that governments have no intention of banning these pesticides, no matter what the law says. They are too afraid of the agricultural lobby, which thrives on harsh chemicals and a broken agricultural model."
Reynaud said the government currently has no established safe levels of chemicals used in the most toxic pesticides and urged consumers, especially pregnant and breastfeeding women, to switch to organic fruit this summer.
New study slaps EU in the face: Pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables increased by 8.8% in 2019
"The presence of residues does not mean that the food is unsafe," said Anika Gatt Seretny, a spokeswoman for CropLife Europe. "The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has conducted extensive research and has shown that the risk to consumers from cumulative dietary exposure is below the threshold and therefore not a risk factor."
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/234179)
