2008 Peppers Survey: Introduction
17 April 2008
PRC Secretariat
Which results have been published?
When will results be available?
Please see our provisional publication dates.
We can send you an email when results have been published. Please email us at prc@hse.gsi.gov.uk if you would like to be added to our mailing list.
Why is the PRC surveying peppers in 2008?
We carried out a routine survey of peppers in 2006 and found nothing of concern at the time. However, in late December 2006 we were told through the EU RASFF system that isofenphos-methyl, a pesticide that has never been approved in any EU member state, had been found in some EU-grown peppers. After receiving that first alert we were able to look again at raw results for samples we had taken and tested during 2006. Although these samples had not been tested for isofenphos-methyl some laboratories who use the very latest analytical techniques could identify residues of isofenphos-methyl once they had been provided with technical information about this chemical.
In 2007 we followed up this information with a rapid response survey of peppers, where we found a few samples containing isofenphos-methyl.
We are continuing to report peppers results monthly in 2008.
Are you testing peppers for isofenphos-methyl?
Yes. Isofenphos-methyl is now part of the standard PRC analysis suite for fruit and vegetables.
What types of peppers are being surveyed?
This survey is of all types of fresh peppers except chilli peppers.
Chilli peppers are being surveyed separately: results will be published in the PRC's reports for Quarter 1 and Quarter 3 of 2008.