engleski

Pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables sampled in the Total Diet Study – Zagreb region - preliminary results

In order to assess the dietary exposure to pesticides in Croatian adolescents in Zagreb region within the frame of the PyrOPECh study (“Exposure to pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides in children – risk assessment for adverse effects on neuropsychological development and hormonal status”, http://pyropech.imi.hr/), a Total Diet Study for the city of Zagreb and Zagreb County are being conducted. The sampling plan, based on national food consumption data (https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/m icrostrategy/foode x2-level-7), was designed to cover at least 95% of the target population’s diet. The purchased products were prepared "as consumed" at the dedicated kitchen facility in Zagreb, in order to reflect practices in Croatian homes. The samples were homogenised, stored frozen at -20 C, and shipped on dry ice to Backweston Laboratory Complex, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Celbridge, Ireland, where the samples were analysed. The samples were extracted using the standard miniLuke method: after extraction with acetone/dichloromethane/petroleu m ether 40-60 C a solvent exchange into ethyl acetate was carried out. The ethyl acetate fraction was analysed without further treatment by GC-High Resolution Accurate Mass Spectrometry and then a portion of this fraction is diluted 1/20 with methanol and analysed by LC-QQQ. The method scope covers a range of 288 pesticides and metabolites. Quality Control on the analyses was carried out according to SANTE/11312/2021. Since the project is in its initial stages, here we present the preliminary data for pesticide residues, obtained for 310 composite samples of fruits and vegetables (and their products), corresponding to 1173 sub- samples. Pesticides residues were found in 39% of fruits and vegetable samples at levels above the limit of quantification. A higher percentage of positive results was found in unprocessed compared to processed (peeling, thermal processing) vegetables (47% vs. 18%) and fruits (68% vs. 52%). Values above MRL were found in 9% of fruit samples (6% in unprocessed and 13% in processed samples) and in 14% of vegetable samples (22% in unprocessed and 12% in processed samples). The highest number of residues was found in berries, processed sour cherries, apricots, nectarines, pears, table grapes, oranges, tomatoes, lamb's lettuce, rocket salad, and spring onions. These findings are compared with the data obtained by the EU and national monitoring programme. The effects of peeling and thermal processing on pesticide residues for selected vegetables and fruits will be also presented. This research is funded by the Croatian Scientific Foundation (HrZZ-IP- 2019-04- 7193) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Ireland.

dietary exposure ; pesticide residues ; fruits ; vegetables

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