Residues Enforcement Programme: Imported Speciality Beans 2006

Introduction

The results of the 2006 imported speciality beans targeted enforcement study are presented in this report.

The Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC) is responsible for the Government’s surveillance programme on pesticide residues in food and foodstuffs. The PRC carry out annual routine monitoring of pesticide residues in food and drink to assess the concentrations of residues occurring in food.

In 2004 and 2005, the PRC survey identified a high percentage of imported speciality bean samples containing residues above the Maximum Residue Level (MRL) the permitted trading level. As a result, the Pesticides Safety Directorate commissioned a targeted enforcement survey.

Background

Speciality beans are imported for use in ethnic cookery. The varieties of speciality beans collected for analyses were:

Guar/Gear bean (Cyamopsis tetragonolobus)

Lima bean (Phaseolus limensis)

Valor bean (Dolichos lablab)

Yard Long bean (Vigna unguigulata syn sinensis)

Figure 1: Beans Sampled

Guar bean (Cyamopsis tetragonolobus)

Lima bean (Phaseolus limensis)

Yard long bean (Vigna unguigulata syn sinensis)

Valor bean (Dolichos lablab)

Maximum Residues Levels

Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) are the maximum concentration of pesticide residue (expressed as milligrams of residue per kilogram of commodity), likely to occur in or on food commodities after the use of pesticides, according to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP). MRLs are intended primarily as a check that GAP is being followed, and to assist international trade in produce treated with pesticides.

MRLs are not safety limits, and exposure to residues in excess of an MRL does not automatically imply a risk to health. More information about MRLs and the legislation involved can be found on PSD’s website.

Why has UK monitoring continued to find speciality beans which contain residues above the MRL?

MRLs are based on data from trials which indicate the level of residues expected to remain in produce which has been correctly treated with pesticides. Where no data are provided, MRLs are set at the lowest level which can be routinely detected in laboratory analysis. This is known as the limit of determination, or LOD.

European Community MRLs are predominantly based on European agricultural uses of pesticides. MRLs are also set to reflect pesticide uses in countries outside the Community, providing applicants submit appropriate data for safety assessment. In many cases, however, these data have not been provided and consequently MRLs remain at the LOD . This effectively prohibits the presence of residues, even if they do not necessarily represent an unacceptable risk to health.

This targeted enforcement survey has confirmed earlier findings from UK monitoring, highlighting this issue to suppliers and reminding them of their responsibilities and legal requirements when trading in food.

The Sampling

Samples of imported speciality beans were collected from import points, airports and ports, wholesalers/cash and carry and distribution depots - markets. Between 23 October and 7 December 2006, a total of 42 samples were collected and tested. Samples were collected from different areas of the country, the South East, West Midlands, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber.

The samples were analysed for a range of pesticide residues for exceedances of Maximum Residue Levels. The most frequently sampled speciality bean variety were yard long beans Vigna unguigulata syn sinensis) composing 50% of the total beans sampled.

Country of Origin

The beans collected were imported from the following countries of origin:

• Bangladesh
• China
• Costa Rica
• Cyprus
• Dominican Republic
• Ghana
• India
• Kenya
• Thailand

Samples were analysed for the following pesticides:

• acephate
• captan
• carbendazim
• chlorothalonil
• chlorpyrifos
• cypermethrin
• deltamethrin
• dicofol
• dicrotophos
• dimethoate
• endosulfan
• iprodione
• metalaxyl
• methamidophos
• methomyl
• monocrotophos
• omethoate
• procymidone
• profenofos
• propargite
• tetradifon
• thiodicarb
• thiophanate methyl
• triazophos
• triadimenol
• triadimefon
• trifloxystrobin

Summary of Results

• 14 (33.3%) of the samples contained no detectable pesticide residues
• 28 (66.6%) of the samples contained pesticide residues
• Of the 28 samples which contained pesticide residues, 20 samples contained residues above the MRL. The exceedances were predominantly in samples originating from the Dominican Republic (7), India (6), Kenya (4) and Thailand (3).
• The main pesticides which showed in the MRL exceedances were omethoate (11), dimethoate (7), methomyl (5) and carbendazim (2).

Action

The targeted enforcement survey confirmed the Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC) results of 2004/5. There are a high number of maximum residue level exceedances in imported speciality beans.

As MRLs are not safety limits, exposure to MRLs does not automatically imply a risk to health. PSD carried out risk assessments on the MRL exceedances. The risk assessments showed no health effects would be expected. The results are presented in Table 1.

European Commission Rapid Alerts

Two European rapid alerts were issued for the residues of monocrotophos in the samples where the risk assessment showed residues of up to 5 times the Acute Reference Dose (ARfD) for infants. The ARfD is usually defined as "an estimate of the amount a substance in food or drinking water, normally expressed on a body weight basis, that can be ingested in a period of 24 h or less without appreciable health risks to the consumer on the basis of all known facts at the time of the evaluation"

The European Commissions, Rapid Alert System for Food (RASFF) gives Member States a method of notifying each other of cases where higher than expected residues of pesticides have been found in imported food supplies. The purpose of the RASFF is to provide the control authorities with an effective tool for exchange of information on measures taken to ensure food safety.

Future Enforcement Activity

The residues of pesticides found in these samples whilst not constituting a risk to health are unsatisfactory and the Pesticides Safety Directorate will write to the suppliers of imported speciality beans informing them of the enforcement programme results and expressing our concerns.

The Pesticides Safety Directorate recognises the erosion in safety parameters is unacceptable and will repeat this enforcement exercise in 2007/8. Those suppliers who imported beans in 2006/7 that contained residues in excess of statutory levels will be written to individually and told that any repetition of these exceedances will result in stronger enforcement action. Where appropriate, under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 (as amended) PSD can issue Enforcement Notice on produce with exceedances of MRLs and can seize and dispose of offending produce.

We will also be seeking to ensure that the trade in general is aware of their legal obligations and our future plans.

Results of the Pesticide Safety Directorates 2006 Imported Speciality Beans Enforcement Programme.

Table 1. Residues detected in imported speciality beans in samples obtained between October to December 2006.

Residues (1-3 compounds) were found in 30 of the 42 samples as follows:

The abbreviations used for the pesticide names are as follows

Table 2: Risk Assessments for samples with maximum residue level exceedances

Annex 1 : Short-term intake estimates

Highest intake of all ten consumer groups and other groups that exceed the ARfD.

*Overall dimethoate residue = dimethoate residue 0.5 mg/kg + omethoate residue 0.2 mg/kg x 6 [conversion factor] = 1.7 mg/kg

Combined risk assessments

Short-term combined intake estimates

**Overall dimethoate residue = dimethoate residue 0.10mg/kg + omethoate residue 0.2 mg/kg x 6 [conversion factor] = 1.3 mg/kg

Overall dimethoate residue = dimethoate residue 0.0 mg/kg + omethoate residue 0.09 mg/kg x 6 [conversion factor] = 0.5 mg/kg (rounded)