Agricultural chemical use examined

Further testing by New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) on chemical residue levels in New Zealand grown capsicum, strawberries, lettuce, mushrooms and courgettes has produced pleasing results.

Results from season two of the annual Food Residue Surveillance Programme (FRSP), which looks at chemical residues found in fresh, unwashed produce, were released this week. The survey looked at the same range of produce that was investigated in season one. NZFSA Principal Advisor (Chemicals), Paul Dansted, says although some samples showed residues slightly over the permitted level, they are an improvement on previous seasons' results.

"We're pretty happy with these results but we don't intend to get complacent. Even if the results look good this time around, we want to make sure that this continues to be the case in future."

In total 108 produce samples were tested in season two.

There were no non-compliances among the 12 strawberries samples and the 24 courgette samples.

Of 24 capsicum samples, one non-compliance was found. Iprodione with an MRL of 0.1 mg/kg was found at 0.12mg/kg. Iprodione is a fungicide.

Of 24 fancy lettuce samples, one non-compliance was found. The chemical acephate, which has an MRL of 6 mg/kg, was found at a level of 6.4 mg/kg. Acephate is an insecticide.

Of 24 mushroom samples there was one non-compliance. Prochloraz with a MRL of 0.5 mg/kg was found in one sample at 0.71 mg/kg. Prochloraz is a fungicide.

A dietary intake assessment of the non-compliant results has shown that the residue levels found in this season's samples pose no health risk to consumers as they are well below those needed to produce any human health effects. "These non-compliances make no significant difference to the amount of the chemical that New Zealand consumers are exposed to, even assuming that they consumed the highest residue levels found for their entire lives," Dr Dansted says.

"What we're going to do in upcoming FRSP surveys is continue to focus on crops that we think are more likely to be problematic from a compliance point of view, even if those crops don't add a whole lot to total chemical exposure. For an assessment of total exposure, we rely more on the New Zealand Total Diet Survey, which will be starting again next year."

In these surveys, NZFSA alerts growers to any areas of concern detected and individual growers are notified that problems were found with their produce. NZFSA also engages in a dialogue with the relevant sectors of industry to ensure growers have the necessary information to produce crops with residue levels that meet regulatory requirements – or better.

Background information:

The Food Residue Surveillance Programme is one of NZFSA's ongoing monitoring programmes. It targets between four and eight types of produce each season with the choice of crop determined by a range of factors. These are often foods that authorities overseas have found to contain higher residue levels, or minor crops where growers may lack access to specific information about use of a particular agricultural compound on that crop.

It sits alongside the Total Diet Survey (TDS), which is carried out every four to five years to assess the public's exposure to a range of agricultural compound residues, selected contaminants and nutrients (eg, iodine) through analysing foods 'as consumed'.
Another part of the suite of NZFSA monitoring programmes is the National Residues Programme (NRP), which randomly samples animal products at the point of harvest for a wide range of contaminants and agricultural compounds. The Dairy Residue Monitoring Programme tests raw (unpasteurised) milk at the farm and before it's transferred to the tanker or dairy factory. The surveys together give a picture of what New Zealanders are exposed to through their food.

Resources available from www.nzfsa.govt.nz:

Agricultural compound residues in food – common questions:
http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/consumers/chemicals-toxins-additives/agricultural-compound-in-food/index.htm#P89_20056

FRSP results:
http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/science/research-projects/food-residues-surveillance-programme/index.htm