2006 Grapes Survey: November Results
Detailed Results
The detailed results (3 pages) are in pdf format. They include details of brand names and where the samples were taken.
Are there any health effects expected from the residues found?
PSD has carried out two risk assessments on residues of pesticides with no Maximum Residue Level (MRL) in grapes. The Food Standards Agency has checked and agreed these assessments.
The full risk assessments (2 pages) are in pdf format.
2 samples contained residues of boscalid, at 0.05 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg. There is no MRL for boscalid in grapes.
There is no Acute Reference Dose (ARfD) for boscalid. PSD calculated that all the intakes were within the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI). An ARfD would not be less than this ADI. Therefore no effect on health would be expected.
1 sample contained a residue of dithiocarbamates of 0.07 mg/kg. The MRL for dithiocarbamates is under review
The risk assessment assumed that the residue came from ziram, the worst case dithiocarbamate pesticide. PSD calculated that all intakes were below the ARfD and therefore no effect on health would be expected.
The residue found is below the current Maximum Residue Level (MRL) for dithiocarbamates residues in grapes. That MRL was set some time ago. Since then pesticide regulators in Europe have looked at new scientific data about dithiocarbamates toxicity (as part of reviewing approvals for the pesticides) and a new ARfD has been set. Until the MRL also changes the UK is carrying out risk assessments to make sure that the safety margin left between the MRL and the old safety limit is big enough to protect people's health.
2 samples contained a residue of trifloxystrobin of 0.07 and 0.01 mg/kg. There is now an MRL of 5 mg/kg
At the time the samples were taken there was no MRL for trifloxystrobin in grapes. However an MRL of 5 mg/kg came into force on
4 December 2006. Therefore no risk assessment was required.
When will the Pesticide Residues Committee formally consider these results?
The Pesticide Residues Committee have seen these results and will discuss them at their next meeting in January 2007. The Committee will discuss the results for Quarter 4 (October to December) as a whole at their meeting in May 2007.
Summary of Results
How many samples did you take?
22
Where did they come from?
15 samples were imported from outside the EU
- 14 from Brazil
- 1 from the USA
7 samples were from the EU
- 1 from Greece
- 1 from Italy
- 5 from Spain
How many samples contained residues above the MRL?
None
How many samples contained residues only below the MRL?
14 samples contained residues below the MRL:
- 6 from Brazil
- 1 from Greece
- 1 from Italy
- 5 from Spain
- 1 from the USA
How many samples contained more than one residue?
7 samples contained more than one residue
- 3 samples contained 2 residues - 1 from Greece and 2 from Spain
- 3 samples from Spain contained 3 residues
- 1 sample from Brazil contained 4 residues