School fruit and
vegetable scheme: Autumn term results of Pesticide Residues testing
DEPARTMENT FOR
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (113/07) issued by
The Government News Network on 19 April 2007
Information Bulletin
The latest results from the Pesticide Residues Committee's
(PRC) programme of pesticide residue testing in fruit and
vegetables supplied to school children found that no samples
contained any pesticides above the legal level in the Autumn 2006
term survey.
Tests were carried out on 50 samples of six different fruit and
vegetables. 13 samples did not contain any residues that they
were analysed for and 37 contained residues within the maximum
residue level (MRL). Risk assessments concluded that none of the
residues detected were expected to affect the health of children
eating the produce.
Dr Ian Brown, chairman of the Committee, said:
"None of the results in the Autumn Term gave the PRC any
concern for consumer health. They show that fruit and vegetables
supplied to school children does not contain residues or any
residues found are at levels in accordance with guidelines.
"The results should reassure parents that the fruit and
vegetables their children eat continues to be safe. It is
important to stress that the positive effects of eating fresh
fruit and vegetables as part of a balanced healthy diet far
outweigh any concern about pesticide residues."
The PRC is an independent body which advises Government, the Food
Standards Agency and the Pesticides Safety Directorate.
The PRC produce the report of the residue testing programme
conducted on fruit and vegetables supplied under the Department of
Health's School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme on a termly basis.
The MRL, or maximum residue level, is the maximum concentration
of a pesticide residue - expressed as milligrams per kilogram, or
parts per million - legally permitted in or on our food and animal
feeds. The levels are not safety limits, but are set at levels
which protect the consumer. They are primarily a check that good
agricultural practice is being followed, and an MRL exceedance
does not automatically imply a hazard to health.
The full report is available online at
http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/uploadedfiles/Web_Assets/PRC/SFVSautumn2006report.pdf
Notes for editors
* Dr Ian Brown (OBE, BSc Agric, FRCP, FFOM)
is consultant occupational physician and toxicologist at
Southampton University Hospitals.
* The Pesticides Safety Directorate are responsible for
organising the survey of fruit and vegetables supplied under this
scheme. The PRC consider all findings and risk assessments.
* The PRC are an independent body which advises Ministers, the
Pesticides Safety Directorate and the Food Standards Agency.
* Fruit and vegetables are sampled from all suppliers
contributing to the scheme.
* Find out more about the PRC and its work via its website: http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/prc_home.asp.
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