The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has begun a review of dimethoate use in berries following a sharp increase in national consumption.
Blueberry, blackberry, and raspberry consumption has more than doubled in less than a decade, reaching 1.3 kilograms per person per year compared with 611 grams when residue limits were last reviewed in 2017. Sheila Logan, executive director of risk assessment capability at APVMA, said current residue levels are unlikely to pose a serious health risk, but the margin of safety must be reconsidered. "I certainly wouldn't suggest that anyone needs to avoid eating berries," Logan said.
Currently, growers must wait one day after spraying blueberries and seven days after spraying rubus berries before harvesting. APVMA has proposed extending this interval to 14 days. Growers argue the change would increase costs and disrupt production.
Anthony Poiner, chair of Berries Australia, said the restriction would effectively end dimethoate use. "Berries are picked every two to seven days, so if you spray one day and have to wait 14 days, all the berries have gone overripe and are no longer usable," Poiner said. He added, "Our tests are telling us that levels of residual dimethoate after 24 hours of being sprayed are low and below the medically acute level."
Dimethoate has been used in Australia since the 1950s to control insect pests in fruits and vegetables. It was banned in the European Union in 2019 and classified as a "possible human carcinogen" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In Australia, its use requires a permit from APVMA, which sets limits for residues in food. The chemical was also recently banned as a post-harvest dip for avocados, mangoes, and other tropical fruits.
Poiner, whose PhD is in chemistry, said dimethoate remains the most effective control against Queensland fruit fly, a native pest that costs berry growers an estimated US$195 million a year in management and trade restrictions. He warned that alternatives such as fumigation, irradiation, or other chemicals are more expensive and less effective, and that organic production cannot supply demand at scale.
Food safety experts recommend safe handling practices at home and a varied diet. CSIRO food scientist Rozita Spirovska Vaskoska noted that both organic and conventional systems carry risks. "Having variety in our diet and … following good kitchen storage and cooking practices will maintain our food safety," she said.
Poiner added that growers are committed to working with regulators to find solutions. "We should have confidence in the food we eat," he said.
Source: ABC News
