EFSA review of pesticides in food confirms that baby foods in Europe comply with strict legislation Aug 2010

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its Annual Report on Pesticide Residues, which provides an overview of pesticide residues in food in the European Union during 2008. The report provides a comprehensive review of pesticide levels in a whole variety of foods, including baby foods and states that 3.5% of all analysed samples exceed the legal Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs), a lower level than seen in 2007, when 4.2% of samples exceeded the legal MRL limits. More samples exceeding these maximum levels were found in food imported from countries outside the EU (7.6 %) than in samples originating in the EU (2.4 %). Results of EFSA Survey Out of 2,062 samples of baby food, 76 contained traces of pesticides but the legal limit was exceeded in only 4 samples (0.2 %). European legislation in this area is very strict and allows no more than 0.01 mg/kg of any single pesticide residue as outlined in Commission Directive 2006/141/EC for infant formulae and follow-on formulae and in Commission Directive 2006/125/EC for processed cereal-based foods and baby foods for infants and young children. Baby foods in the UK are governed by the EU legislation and UK companies ensure that their products comply with the strict limits of no more than 0.01mg per kilogram. The EFSA unit that prepared the report specifies that the presence of pesticides in foods does not necessarily imply a food safety concern. The EFSA Annual report reviewing pesticides in food can be found at the following link: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/praper100712.htm?WT.mc_id=EFSAHL01&emt=1 UK's Pesticide Residues Committee The UK has a Pesticides Residues Committee that also monitor levels on pesticides in baby foods on a regular basis. Certain commodities, which are consumed frequently, especially by children, are surveyed annually and this includes baby food which is surveyed once every two years. Further detail on the UKs Pesticide Residues Committee can be found here http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/prc.asp?id=2897