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Pesticide residues on fresh food: Alarm in Saxony!
ALLIANCE GREEN inquiry about high pesticide residues in Saxony: 75% of fresh fruit samples affected. Consequences for food safety.
Pesticide residues on fresh food: Alarm in Saxony!
The discussion about pesticide residues in food is becoming increasingly explosive. According to the current results of a small inquiry by ALLIANCE GREENS state parliament member Wolfram Günther, which was carried out in Saxony, over 50% of the fresh products checked from 2021 to 2024 gave cause for concern. The situation is particularly alarming when it comes to fresh fruit, where a whopping 75% of samples showed pesticide residues Gruene-fraktion-sachsen.de reported.
Günther sums it up: “Pesticides have no place in food!” His analysis suggests that the use of pesticides is not only increasing, but that they are also leaching into rivers and groundwater. This raises questions about food safety, especially in a country that is committed to protecting consumers. Although the food controls are good, they vary greatly between the districts, which does not make the situation any easier.
EU-wide developments
Another study published in 2022 by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) shows that a total of 110,829 food samples were taken in the European Union. This is an increase of 25% compared to the previous year. Fortunately, 96.3% of these samples were within the legally permissible values. However, the remaining 3.7% cannot be ignored as they could pose health risks, such as efsa.europa.eu determines.
Of the 11,727 samples analyzed as part of the EU coordinated control program (EU MACP), 98.4% were found to be normal. Nevertheless, the 1.6% of samples that exceeded the limits is a warning signal. In particular, the excesses for certain vegetables such as cabbage and tomatoes are another cause for concern. While the overall rate of exceedances fell from 2% in 2019 to 1.6% in 2022, the risk for certain products is increasing again.
The local perspective
The difference between food from Germany and the EU compared to imported products from non-European countries is clear: While domestic and European products perform well, the residues from imports are often more problematic. Strengthening organic, regional food producers could be a sensible step here to increase food safety and reduce the use of pesticides.
Günther's statements and the EFSA data make one thing very clear: it is high time for consumers to be better informed and for companies and authorities to work together to improve the quality and safety of our food. The next period could be crucial for how we deal with the issue of pesticides in food in the future.