Germany: Fresh fruits and vegetables shine in residue analyses

In the extensive analysis spectrum of the two monitoring programs of the QS Fachgesellschaft Obst, Gemüse, Kartoffeln GmbH (QS) and the German Fruit Trade Association (DFHV), 26,771 fruit and vegetable samples from 73 countries of origin were analyzed. The results are convincing across the board and show the reliable work of producers and marketers of fresh fruits and vegetables. 97.5 percent of the samples were below the legally prescribed maximum residue levels (MRLs) for plant protection products. 41.6 percent of the samples had absolutely no residue. That's an impressive 5 percentage points more than in the previous year.

Source: Monitoring Report

Rejection rates for third-country products have fallen
For products from Germany, the complaint rate of 0.8 percent is at a similar low level to the previous year. The same applies to products from other European countries, which have a rejection rate of 2.0 percent. The drop in the rejection rate for products from third countries is pleasing, going from 6.7 percent to 5.9 percent. Here, especially within the product group of the exotics, the rejection rate fell by 2.2 percentage points. Exceedances of the maximum residue level for fosetyl-Al in papaya, passion fruit and sweet cherries were particularly frequently detected. In this context, the different entry sources should be considered. It is not always the actual active substance that is present (see page 4 of the monitoring report).

Numerous legal changes of MRLs
One of the main topics of the monitoring report is the numerous newly adopted EU regulations which, over the past two years, targeted the MRLs of a total of 157 active ingredients, presenting mounting challenges to those involved in the supply chain. These include, for example, thiabendazole, whose maximum residue level in mangoes since 1 January 2018 no longer is 5, but 0.01 mg per kg. Furthermore, kohlrabi leaves have been assigned to the culture group curly kale since 1 January 2017, which in some cases means they now have significantly lower MRLs than tubers.

The new monitoring report will be presented at Fruit Logistica 2018 and is available as a download on the websites of QS (www.q-s.de) and DFHV (www.dfhv.de).