Nearly all food products tested in September were within legal pesticide limits, according to a monthly report released by Greece's Ministry of Rural Development and Food.
In its latest update, the ministry's Plant Protection Directorate reported that 97% of 313 plant-based food samples complied with the maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by EU regulations. The tests covered 58% domestic and 42% imported products, inspected through both market and border controls.
Only 3% of samples exceeded MRLs, with seven found to be potentially hazardous. Products that exceeded pesticide limits included table grapes (four of 22 samples), wine grapes (one of 31), peppers (one of 26), limes (one of three), and mangoes (one of five).
An unapproved pesticide, quinoxyfen, was detected in a sample of wine grapes at a sorting facility. Following the detection, Greek authorities issued three notifications to the EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) concerning mangoes from Egypt, limes from Brazil, and tomatoes from Turkey.
For domestic cases, the ministry stated that follow-up inspections and corrective actions would be implemented.
"The data confirms that the vast majority of products reaching consumers meet strict European limits," said Spyros Protopsaltis, Secretary General of Rural Development and Food. "With targeted, documented controls throughout the chain, from border to shelf, and immediate action when violations occur, we ensure a high level of public health protection and fair competition for producers."
The ministry noted that exceeding an MRL does not automatically imply a health risk but triggers additional evaluation and corrective measures.
Earlier this year, a Reuters investigation reported that Greece was both a major user of illegal pesticides and a key entry point for banned agrochemicals entering the European Union.
Source: Tovima
