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EFSA: even more Pesticides in our Food



The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently published the yearly report on pesticides residues in food registered in 2014, that analyzes the results of almost 82.649 food samples from 28 countries from EU, Iceland and Norway, in connection with 778 pesticides.

Briefly: 45% of the 83 thousand food samples from EU, Iceland and Norway presented traces of pesticides (3% over the limits of law, that means not food-safe). Pesticide residues were found also in the 8,2% of baby food. As regards organic products, 98,8% were pesticide free.

According to EFSA it’s unlikely that the exposure to those pesticide residues will consist in a risk for the human health in the long or short term.

However, there is many room for improvement: first, compulsory including the analysis on glyphosate, the most used herbicide in the world, nowadays not regularly investigated, but subject of limitations in Italy after a law from the Health Minister.

In our country, 8.946 samples were analyzed; 7.968 were produced nationally, 269 were imported from the EU, 220 from Extra-European countries and 489 from unknown origin. Luckily, 65,5% of the samples was residues free, 34,2% showed up traces within the established limits, only the 0.3% was irregular, with pesticide residues beyond the limits.

In Italy, environment and sustainability are in fact under the spotlight. Italian agriculture is the most environmental friendly in Europe, with 281 registered designation of origin (Dop/Igp) products, the denial to use GMOs and the highest number of organic companies.

That’s the reason why Probios keeps choosing Italian raw materials and manufacturers, to obtain and offer the best products and respect the wellness of the people and the environment.