EFSA Report Concludes Higher Pesticide Residue Compliance Rate

Brussels (ots/PRNewswire) -

Sustainable farming practices are key for food safety

The Annual Report on Pesticide Residues 2010 shows that 97.2 % of
the samples were within the maximum residue levels (MRLs) of
pesticides permitted for food products in the EU and 98.4% for the EU
coordinated program. On dietary exposure, EFSA concluded that the
chemical residues on the foods analysed did not pose a long-term risk
to consumer health and the short-term dietary exposure excluded a
risk to consumers from 99.6% of food samples.

"Year after year we see a higher and higher level of compliance
with MRLs. This is really good news for European consumers, European
farmers and the crop protection industry and demonstrates both the
current high-level professionalism of pesticide users and the high
level of food safety we have achieved in Europe. Although the overall
report results continue to be positive, our industry understands that
more can still be done to avoid any MRL exceedances," Friedhelm
Schmider, Director General of European Crop Protection Association
(ECPA), commented.

"For that reason the European crop protection industry is
launching a joint-industry project on residues management. Together
with local partners, two pilot projects have been established; one
focusing on Mediterranean greenhouse production in Spain and the
second one on quality of fresh produce imports from outside EU based
on a Turkish example," Friedhelm Schmider continued.

"We want to tackle the issues heads on. The crop protection
industry takes consumer's concerns about pesticide residues and the
multiple assessments of residues very seriously. We are committed to
explain the nature of pesticide residues whilst striving to manage
their occurrence. These two projects aim at helping strengthen
education, training and advisory programs to this end. We will
continue working with stakeholders in order to improve results
further. Consumers trust is a vital ingredient for our work,"
Friedhelm Schmider concluded.

For the online version please follow the link: http://www.ecpa.eu/
news-item/food/03-12-2013/713/efsa-report-concludes-higher-pesticide-
residue-compliance-rate

Notes to editors:

MRL (Maximum Residue Level):

MRLS are always set at levels below toxicological safety limits
and are at least 100 fold below the lowest dose causing no effects.
So exceedances reported do not mean that the food is unsafe to eat,
however all efforts must be undertaken to avoid exceedances, also
because agricultural produce cannot legally be traded if the MRL is
exceeded.

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.

Contact:

Anna Seretny, European Crop Protection Association, aisbl,
Switchboard : +32(0)2-663-1550
http://www.ecpa.eu

For more general information:

http://www.pesticideinformation.eu -
http://facebook.com/cropprotection -
http://twitter.com/cropprotection - http://www.hungry4change.eu

ots Originaltext: European Crop Protection Association
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de