Exposure assessment of the Belgian population to pesticide residues through the consumption of fruit and vegetables year 2008

The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) monitored 1,413 samples of fruit and vegetables in 2008. Pesticide residues were detected in approximately 72% of the samples and in about 6% of the cases the standard was exceeded. These values (detection frequency and number of exceedings) can lead to unnecessary concern among consumers. A more nuanced representation is obtained when the exposure to pesticide residues is considered. Based on the data collected in the Belgian food consumption survey performed by the Institute of Public Health (ISP 2006) and data of the 2008 pesticide... Mehr ...