Pesticides residues in fresh foods in the West region of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Abstract

The use of pesticides can pose risks to food safety, particularly in Brazil, which has been the world's largest consumer since 2008. The main objective of this study is to investigate the presence of pesticide residues in fresh foods sold in the West region of Santa Catarina between 2013 and 2018, using data from the Food Without Risk Program (PASR). The database covers 23 foods, collected from markets and rural establishments, and grouped into three categories: No residue, With residue, and Non-compliant. The results demonstrate that, on average, 17% of the samples analyzed between 2013 and 2018 are non-compliant. Notably, bell peppers with 70% of samples non-compliant. Non-compliance is mostly caused by the identification of active ingredients without registration. Around 97% of the identified active ingredients correspond to insecticides (54%) and fungicides (43%). These results emphasize the importance of monitoring, oversight, and agricultural practices capable of mitigating the risks of pesticide use on the environment and human health.