The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, RASFF, has reported two warnings on the same day for the remains of pesticides found in peppers from Turkey and Albania, according to what Hortoinfo has learned from sources in the aforementioned organism.
In the case of Turkish peppers, the Bulgarian border authorities proceeded to destroy them when they reached their border on the way to the German markets, as they found excess residues of methiocarb in their peppers, exceeding their Maximum Residue Limit (MRL), and that the pesticide was in the peppers at a rate of 0.453 milligrams per kilo, its MRL being set at 0.2 milligrams / kilo.
Regarding peppers originating in Albania, the alert was motivated by the authorities of Greece when detecting in them residues of the insecticide chlorpyrifos exceeding 79 times its MRL, since the analysis determined that the percentage of that pesticide in the peppers was 0 ’79 milligrams per kilo, when its MRL was established by the European Union (EU) at the limit of analytical detection, that is, 0.01 milligrams per kilo, which in practice makes it an unauthorized substance.
The destination of the Albanian peppers were the supermarkets in Hungary.
Methiocarb
The Metiocarb is an insecticide of the group Oxima Carbamate, broad spectrum, acting by contact and stomach, used against a wide range of insects. On the vine it is recommended against thrips, in treatments before flowering, although it is also used against whiteworm and wire, whitefly, aphid, as well as spiders, slugs and snails.
Its use is not recommended during the flowering season or on the edible parts of the plants, such as the fruit.
Symptoms due to methiocarb poisoning are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Chlorpyrifos
It is an organophosphorus insecticide, with a large degree of control and high penetration power, which acts on insects by contact, ingestion and inhalation. It controls a wide spectrum of sucking and chewing insects.
A group of researchers from the Faculties of Pharmacy and Biochemistry and Medicine of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), together with scientists from the National University of Comahue (Argentina), have shown that exposure to low doses of Chlorpyrifos (CPF) It causes breast cancer.
After the reduction of the MRLs for this substance by the European Commission, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment approved the withdrawal of formulations based on Chlorpyrifos (ethyl), for use in crops of tomato, pepper , melon, watermelon, potato, cabbage, artichoke, apple, pear, peach, table grape, raspberry and blueberries.
Source: www.hortoinfo.es
