Pesticide levels in fruit and vegetables across the EU remain constant.
The European Commission annual survey published on 22 April 2003 notes that 59 % of samples have no detectable residue, but 37 % contained traces of pesticides at or below the Maximum Residue Level (MRL) and 3.7 % exceeded the MRL. However, one trend causes concern, 18 % of the samples showed more than one pesticide present. This is an increase from previous years. The products tested were apples, grapes, tomatoes, strawberries and lettuce.
Another critical issue is that only 11 of the 18 participating states (EU+EFTA) had implemented the necessary accreditation process for testing laboratories. This means that in situations where the government needs to take action because MRLs have been exceeded, there is no legal clarity about the test results.
Commission press release on Pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables.
