Quantification rate of selected pesticides in European animal food products 2021

In 2021, an investigation by the European Union on pesticide residues in food products found that several pesticides were quantified in animal food products at levels higher than five percent. The pesticides with the greatest quantification rate amongst animal food product samples at that time were copper compounds, which were quantified within 78.4 percent of samples. This was followed by chlordecone, DDT, and hexachlorobenzene. This same analysis revealed that grapefruits were the European food product with the highest percentage of samples exceeding the maximum residue level (MRL) pesticide residue concentration. Copper compoundsCopper compounds are used as fungicides and bactericides in agriculture. They are effective against a wide range of plant diseases, but can be toxic to humans and other organisms at high concentrations. Copper is one of the most widely used metals in the world, with a global production of 22 million metric tons in 2022. Copper compounds can accumulate in soil and water and can have negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Copper compounds are not completely banned for use in agriculture in any country, but they are subject to various restrictions and regulations. However, some countries have stricter rules than others, and some have proposed or implemented plans to phase out copper use in the future. Chlordecone, DDT, and hexachlorobenzeneChlordecone, DDT, and hexachlorobenzene are examples of organochlorine pesticides that have been banned due to their harmful effects on human health and the environment. Chlordecone was used to control banana weevils in the French West Indies from 1972 to 1993; DDT was widely used in the mid-20th century to control insect-borne diseases such as malaria and typhus; and hexachlorobenzene was used to control fungal diseases in crops. These pesticides have been linked to a range of health problems, including cancer, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. They can still be found in pesticide residue in food because they are very persistent and bioaccumulative, meaning they do not break down easily in the environment, and they tend to accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals and humans. Some of these pesticides can also be transported over long distances by air or water currents, reaching regions where they were never used. Moreover, some of these pesticides may have been illegally used or exported to countries with less strict regulations, posing a risk of contamination to food products imported into Europe.

2021年，欧洲联盟对食品产品中的农药残留进行了调查，发现多种农药在动物食品产品中的含量超过了百分之五。在当时，动物食品产品样本中农药含量最高的为铜化合物，其含量占样本的78.4%。其次是氯丹、DDT和六氯苯。同样的分析显示，葡萄柚是欧洲食品产品中样本超过最大残留限量（MRL）农药残留浓度的比例最高的食品。铜化合物（Copper Compounds）在农业中用作杀菌剂和消毒剂。它们对广泛的植物病害有效，但在高浓度下可能对人体和其他生物有毒。铜是全球使用最广泛的金属之一，2022年全球产量达2200万吨。铜化合物能累积在土壤和水中，并对水生生态系统产生负面影响。尽管任何国家并未完全禁止在农业中使用铜化合物，但它们均受到各种限制和法规的约束。然而，一些国家的规定比其他国家更为严格，一些国家甚至提出了在未来逐步淘汰铜使用的计划。氯丹、DDT和六氯苯（Chlordecone, DDT, and hexachlorobenzene）是已被禁止使用的有机氯农药，这主要归因于它们对人类健康和环境的危害。氯丹曾在1972年至1993年间用于控制法属西印度群岛的香蕉象鼻虫；DDT在20世纪中叶被广泛用于控制由昆虫传播的疾病，如疟疾和斑疹伤寒；而六氯苯则用于控制作物的真菌病害。这些农药与一系列健康问题有关，包括癌症、生殖问题和神经功能障碍。由于这些农药具有非常持久和生物累积的特性，即它们在环境中不易分解，并且倾向于在动物和人类的脂肪组织中积累，因此它们仍然可以在食品中的农药残留中找到。其中一些农药可以通过空气或水流远距离传播，到达从未使用过这些农药的地区。此外，一些农药可能被非法使用或出口到监管较松的国家，对进口到欧洲的食品产品构成污染风险。