Quantification rate of selected pesticides in European animal food products 2021

In 2021, an investigation by the European Union on pesticide residues in food products found that several pesticides were quantified in animal food products at levels higher than five percent. The pesticides with the greatest quantification rate amongst animal food product samples at that time were copper compounds, which were quantified within 78.4 percent of samples. This was followed by chlordecone, DDT, and hexachlorobenzene. This same analysis revealed that grapefruits were the European food product with the highest percentage of samples exceeding the maximum residue level (MRL) pesticide residue concentration.

Copper compounds

Copper compounds are used as fungicides and bactericides in agriculture. They are effective against a wide range of plant diseases, but can be toxic to humans and other organisms at high concentrations. Copper is one of the most widely used metals in the world, with a global production of 22 million metric tons in 2022. Copper compounds can accumulate in soil and water and can have negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Copper compounds are not completely banned for use in agriculture in any country, but they are subject to various restrictions and regulations. However, some countries have stricter rules than others, and some have proposed or implemented plans to phase out copper use in the future.

Chlordecone, DDT, and hexachlorobenzene

Chlordecone, DDT, and hexachlorobenzene are examples of organochlorine pesticides that have been banned due to their harmful effects on human health and the environment. Chlordecone was used to control banana weevils in the French West Indies from 1972 to 1993; DDT was widely used in the mid-20th century to control insect-borne diseases such as malaria and typhus; and hexachlorobenzene was used to control fungal diseases in crops. These pesticides have been linked to a range of health problems, including cancer, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. They can still be found in pesticide residue in food because they are very persistent and bioaccumulative, meaning they do not break down easily in the environment, and they tend to accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals and humans. Some of these pesticides can also be transported over long distances by air or water currents, reaching regions where they were never used. Moreover, some of these pesticides may have been illegally used or exported to countries with less strict regulations, posing a risk of contamination to food products imported into Europe.