Sat Oct 26 13:03:26 UTC 2024: Published – October 26, 2024 06:33 pm IST – THIRUVANANTHAPURAMThe latest three-district analysis of vegetables and fruits under the ‘Safe to Eat’ project has revealed pesticide residues above the permissible levels in 13.33% of the tested samples.The July-September study by the Pesticide Residue Research and Analytical Laboratory (PRRAL), a Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) facility at Vellayani here, found pesticide residues in capsicum, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, carrot, drumstick, gooseberry, green chilli, ivy gourd, lemon, mango, cucumber, radish, snake gourd, tomato, guava, watermelon and green apple.
The latest survey covered 13 block panchayats and 11 municipalities in Thrissur, Kottayam and Kasaragod districts. Of the 195 samples subjected to tests, pesticide residues above permissible levels were found in 26 samples – 22 vegetable samples and four fruit samples. The residues detected were above the limit prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India/Codex (FSSAI/Codex), the report said.Tests revealed the presence of insecticides such as acephate, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, monocrotophos, acetamiprid, dimethoate, alpha-cypermethrin, fenvalerate, methamidophos, omethoate, lambda-cyhalothrin, imidacloprid, beta-cyfluthrin and the weedicide fluchloralin.
The previous survey (April-June) which covered Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts had revealed residues in 15.90% of the samples.In 2023, the Agriculture department had revamped the collection of surveillance samples under the ‘Safe to Eat’ project. Under the revised format, three districts are covered under each survey. The samples are collected by the Food Safety department.
Published – October 26, 2024 06:33 pm ISTCopyright© 2024, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
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