Pesticides seep into our food everywhere.

The NGO Future Generations deplores the existence of residues in nearly two thirds of non-organic fruits, vegetables and cereals, a presence hitherto underestimated according to it.

It regularly examines the presence of pesticides in fruits and vegetables intended for consumption.

The association, which bases its report on data provided by the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF), welcomed the effort made by the institution to "move forward in transparency". , by providing results for the year 2020 on samples now clearly distinguished between organic plants and those "from agriculture using synthetic chemistry".

A presence “until now underestimated”

The DGCCRF also publishes results not only on residues above the "quantification limit", i.e. for which laboratories can give the concentration, but also those above the "detection limit, but not quantified ".

"This now makes it possible to see more completely the presence of pesticide residues in foods of plant origin, which was hitherto underestimated", says Future Generations.

“No government communication”

Thus, according to the NGO's analysis, which is based on DGCCRF data, 45.9% of all the samples, organic and non-organic, reveal pesticide residues above the quantification limit.

It is “on this single figure that the State usually communicated before”, underlines Future Generations.

The spokesperson for the association François Veillerette was surprised during a press briefing that for two years "there has been no government communication on these figures from the DGCCRF".

The percentage rises to 54.5% when considering only non-organic products where residues above the quantification limit are detected, and to 63.1% for residues in non-organic products above the detection limit.

The DGCCRF's new working method does not currently allow these figures to be compared over time.

“Emergency Pesticide Reduction Plan”

"The report is not about risk assessment," said François Veillerette, a complex process that would require knowing the exposure of consumers.

But "people want to eat foods that don't contain dangerous chemicals," he adds.

Consequence of this survey: Future Generations calls for an “emergency plan to reduce the use of pesticides” and “increased support for organic farming”.

The NGO deplores in passing the postponement by the European Commission of the publication of the new regulation "on the sustainable use of pesticides", under the "pressure", according to it, "from agricultural unions such as the FNSEA and the position of States like France”.

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  • DGCCRF

  • Pollution

  • pesticides

  • Planet

  • Organic

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