NEW DELHI:Chew on this — government labs which analysed samples of vegetables, fruits, milk and other food items collected from various retail and wholesale outlets across the country have found residues of non-approved pesticides in them.
2.7 Percenatge of Samples Tested at Kovai Lab Exceeded Limits The Kerala Agricultural University, Vellayani, which collected 1,197 samples, found 26 per cent of them having measurable concentrations of one or more pesticides, while 7.9 per cent of all the samples were identified as having exceeded the MRL. |
According to the latest government report, Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level for the year 2014-15, out of the 20,618 samples analysed, 12.5 per cent had residues of non-approved pesticides in them. While pesticide residues were detected in 3,857 samples (18.7 per cent), 543 samples (2.6 per cent) were found to be having pesticide residues above the MRL (maximum residue limit). No residues were detected in 16,761 samples (81.3 per cent). The samples collected during 2014-15 were analysed by 25 labs. In the lab findings, non-approved pesticides like acephate, bifenthrin, acetamiprid, triazofos, metalaxyl, malathion, acetamiprid, carbosulfan, profenofos and hexaconazole, among others, had been detected.
Residues of non-approved pesticides were detected in 1,180 vegetable samples collected from both retail and farm gate markets, 225 fruit samples, 732 spice samples, 30 rice samples and 43 pulses samples, it added.
In vegetables, the tests had detected residues of non-approved pesticides such as acephate, bifenthrin, triazofos, acetamiprid, metalaxyl and malathion. In fruits, non-approved pesticides such as acephate, acetamiprid, carbosulfan, cypermethrin, profenofos, quinalphos and metalaxyl were found.
Non-approved pesticides especially profenophos, metalaxyl and hexaconazole were found in rice, while residues of triazofos, metalaxyl, carbaryl and acephate were detected in pulses.