Report on the Organic Monitoring Program of Baden-Württemberg 2018
The Federal State of Baden-Württemberg has been conducting a special monitoring program on organically produced foods since 2002. This monitoring is associated with Baden-Württemberg’s overall concept of promoting organic farming. Organic products are systematically tested for residues and contaminants, as well as other relevant issues. The goal of the organic monitoring program is to prevent fraud by better tracking down cases of improper labeling in this fast expanding market and to strengthen consumers’ confidence in the quality of organically produced foods.
Analytical Results from Organic Food Investigations
Detailed information (including results tables) can be found in the German version of the monitoring report.
Following is a translation of the topic “Residues from pesticides and specific contaminants in plant-based-foods”.
Residues from Pesticides and Specific Contaminants in Plant-Based Foods
Introduction
In 2018 a total of 355 samples of plant-based foods from organic cultivation were analyzed for residues of plant-protection substances and contaminants. The underlying spectrum of substances routinely comprised more than 750 components (active substances and metabolites or degradation products, as well as specific contaminants) for each sample.
Fresh Foods
As in previous years, fresh organic fruit and vegetables performed significantly better in 2018 than conventionally produced products. There were no detectable pesticide residues in about 60 % of the organically grown samples (in 2017, 50 %; 2016, 65 %; 2015, 60 %; 2014, 52 %; 2013 and earlier: 60 to 70 %).
The percentage of samples containing residues of multiple pesticides was 10.5 %, significantly lower than that of previous years (15 % in 2017; 19 % in 2016 and 2015; 21 % in 2014; 12 % in 2013; and 10 % in 2012). After a large spike in 2014, in part contingent on the expansion of the routine investigative spectrum due to new, specialized substances, the numbers over the last five years have dropped significantly, returning to earlier rates.
The detected residues were mostly in trace amounts (< 0.01 mg/kg), considerably lower than the concentrations usually found in a harvest where pesticides were used. All in all, the rate of violations in fresh, organically produced foods has stabilized at a low level over the last few years, and has dropped significantly since the beginning of the organic monitoring program more than 17 years ago. In 2018 one fruit sample (a lemon from Italy) and five vegetable samples (2 cucumbers from Spain, lettuce and radish sprouts from Germany and radishes from an unknown origin) were judged to have been falsely labeled organic, due to the detection of increased levels of pesticide residues.
The rate of violations in this reporting year was 1.4 % for organic fruit and 3.8 % for organic vegetables. The rate of violations for all organic fresh foods in the years from 2011 to 2017 was always well under 5 %, while the rates before 2010, with numbers as high as 8.5 %, were significantly higher. In this reporting year, at an overall rate of 2.7 %, there was neither any accumulation of violations for organic fruits, nor any other irregularities in single cultures detected.
In the years before 2009 there were intermittent anomalies found: herbicides in broccoli and carrots from Italy, the fungicidal substance fosetyl in cucumbers, surface treatment substances and acaricides in citrus fruits, and sprout inhibitors in potatoes.
Info Box
Expansion of the Investigative Spectrum and Evaluation of the Data
This year, as in the previous four years, the QuPPe method was routinely used on all samples in order to detect very polar substances that the QuEChERS multi-method cannot capture. Representatives of this group include, among others, fosetyl, phosphonic acid, chlorate and perchlorate, but also trimesium (trimethylsulfonium).
The expansion of the investigative spectrum is responsible for the increase in samples found with residues and multiple-residues over the last few years.
To enable the comparison of investigative results for individual years in the future, only specifically chosen, purely chemical / synthetic pesticides, not contaminants, will be included in the evaluation.
The following substances will be listed separately:
- Substances authorized for use in organic farming: azadirachtin, piperonyl butoxide, pyrethrum, spinosad (see Excursus)
- Nicotine: different modes of entry possible (see Info Box)
- Trimethylsulfonium cation: different modes of entry possible or possible formation by processing
- Fosetyl / phosphonic acid: found in fertilizers and fungicides, long retention time of phosphonic acid in plants / shrubs (see Info Box)
- Fosetyl / phosphonic acid: found in fertilizers and fungicides, long retention time of phosphonic acid in plants / shrubs (see Info Box)
- Chlorate, perchlorate: different modes of entry possible (see Info Box).
The following substances will not be considered:
- Substances occurring naturally in plants: gibberellic acid and other plant hormones (abscisic acid, jasmonic acid, etc.)
- Bromide: can originate geogenically; amounts < 5 mg/kg assessed as „natural“ amount
Processed Foods
The rate of violations (due to false organic labeling) among processed foods in this reporting year was 2.2 %; this is comparable to the rate for fresh fruit and vegetables, and has seldom been so low in previous years. This rate was between 2.6 % and 7.0 % over the past six years and > 8 % in the years before 2011. However, one must consider that the focus on particular processed organic products changes from year to year and that short-term projects are carried out on this product group, which has only recently come into sharper focus. Therefore, the comparability of violation rates from year to year and over the entire course of the organic monitoring program is limited.
Individual anomalies (in single food groups) among the processed foods analyzed in 2018 only involved cereal products and dried legumes. In contrast to 2016, there was no accumulation of violations (from false organic labeling) in a particular food category. One can also refer to the chapter on “Special Findings”, where results and data on special substances or projects and food groups are handled that are excluded from the explanations. These require a separate observation, either due to their particularities in occurrence, application, possible modes of entry and analytics, or because they present new or separate problems.
When making a judgment regarding the amounts of residues in processed foods, valid processing factors for the specific substances must be considered, because the processing of the original product can lead to an increase or decrease of residues (see Info Box regarding processing factors).
Info Box
Allowance of Processing Factors
As a rule, Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 stipulates the maximum levels of plant protection substance residues for unprocessed foods. The amount of pesticide residues in and on unprocessed foods can change as a result of processing factors, e.g. during the manufacturing of dried fruits, canned food, wine or bread. Guidelines provided by this regulation take into account changes in pesticide residues caused by such processing factors, and are thus to be followed when making a legal determination of residue amounts in processed foods. In a few cases it is impossible to make a final judgment because processing factors for certain substances or matrices are not always known. When there are low levels of substances in the product, there is also a greater degree of computational uncertainty.
Average Pesticide Amounts
Average Pesticide Amounts Average pesticide amounts found in the samples can be an indication of the presence of plant protection substances, as the following tables show.
| Fruit |
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organically produced samples |
0.008
|
0.005
|
0.002
|
0.001
|
0.002
|
0.004
|
| Conventionally produced samples (excluding surface treatment substances or preservatives, phosphonic acid and bromide) |
0.32
|
0.42
|
0.35
|
0.43
|
0.45
|
0.40
|
| Vegetables |
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
| Organically produced samples |
0.004
|
0.001
|
0.002
|
0.003
|
0.003
|
0.008
|
| Conventionally produced samples (excluding phosphonic acid and bromide) |
0.38
|
0.32
|
0.49
|
0.46
|
0.36
|
0.46
|
The average amount of pesticide residues detected in all analyzed organic fruit and vegetable samples this reporting year was 0.004 and 0.008 mg/kg, respectively, when all organically labeled samples (including those with false labeling) are included in the calculation. Exclusion of the samples that were in violation, suspected of being conventionally produced or cross-bred with conventional products, yielded averages of 0.001 and 0.003 mg/kg respectively. These average sum amounts have remained low over the last years (see table).
The averages for conventionally produced fruit and vegetables lay at 0.40 mg/kg (excluding surface treatment substances, phosphonic acid and bromide) and 0.46 mg/kg (excluding phosphonic acid and bromide), respectively. The reason for the higher amount of pesticide is due to the application of chemical plant protection substances that are authorized for conventional cultivation, the residues of which are often unavoidable in the treated plant cultures. A detailed body of regulations provides consumers with a measure of safety, as long as the maximum residue levels are not exceeded.
Since the use of chemical synthetic pesticides is not permitted for organic cultivation, very few samples, if any, tend to have residues over 0.01 mg/kg. The organic products differ significantly from conventional ware in terms of contamination from pesticide residues, which the organic monitoring program has clearly demonstrated over the past 17 years.
Overview of Violations
The following table gives an overview of all organic samples analyzed in 2018 for residues of pesticides and their rate of violations, itemized by food group.
| Type of Sample |
No. of Samples
|
Samples w/ residues > 0.01
mg/kg 2) |
Average amount per sample in mg/kg 2)
|
No. samples falsely labeled as „organic“
|
Samples > MRL3)
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetables | 131 | 8 (6.1 %) | 0.008 | 5 (3.8 %) | 2x Cucumber from Spain (Pymetrozin, Fluopyram, Propamocarb); Green lettuce from Germany (Mandipropamid);Radish of unknown origin (Dimethoate); Radish sprouts from Germany (BAC, DDAC) |
2 (1.5 %) | Radish of unknown origin (Dimethoate); Radish sprouts from Germany (DDAC) |
| Vegetable products | 12 | 4 (33 %) (fresh products) |
0.014 0.009 (fresh products) |
- | - | - | - |
| Fruit | 73 | 5 (6.9 %) | 0.004 | 1 (1.4 %) | Lemon from Italy (Lambda-Cyhalothrin) | 1 (1.4 %) | Lemon from Italy (Lambda-Cyhalothrin)4) |
| Fruit products | 21 | - (fresh products) |
0.002 0.005 (fresh products) |
- | - | - | - |
| Fresh mushrooms and their products | 7 | 1 (14 %) (fresh products) |
0.023 0.008 (fresh products) |
- | - | 1 (14 %) | Oyster mushroom from Germany (Nicotine) |
| Potatoes and their products | 13 | - | 0.001 | - | - | - | - |
| Legumes (dried), Oil Seeds, Nuts, Soy Products |
30 | 1 (3.3 %) | 0.002 | 2 (6.6 %) | Red lentils of unknown origin (2,4-D); Brown lentils from Italy (Phosphine) | 2 (6.3 %) | Brown lentils from Italy (Phosphine); Black beans from China (Nicotine) |
| Cereals | 18 | 1 (5.5 %) | 0.002 | - | - | - | - |
| Cereal products | 12 | 1 (8.3 %) | 0.004 | 1 (8.3 %) | Whole wheat flour from Germany (Chlormequat) | - | - |
| Fats, Oils | 17 | - | 0.003 | - | - | - | - |
| Spices | 11) | - (fresh products) |
0.042 0.007 (fresh products) |
- | - | - | - |
| Baby food | 10 | - | 0.001 | - | - | 3 (30 %) | 3x fruit preparation for babies and young children (Sum Fosetyl) |
| Tea, tea-like products | 6 | 2 (33 %) (fresh products) |
0.053 0.008 (fresh products) |
- | - | - | - |
| Fruit juices | 21) | - | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| Other (raw coffee) | 21) | - | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| TOTAL | 355 | 23 (6.5 %) | - | 9 (2.5 %) | - | 9 (2.5 %) | - |
Excursus
Authorized substances detected in organic farming in 2018
Among the substances that are authorized under European Organic Regulations (EC) No.’s 834/2007 and 889/2007 (see positive list in Annex II) and are tested and regularly detected, are the insecticides azadirachtin A, pyrethrum (pyrethrins), spinosad and the synergist piperonyl butoxide. Piperonyl butoxide strengthens the insecticide effect of, e.g. pyrethrins, but has no insecticidal effect itself.
The following table shows the findings of substances authorized for organic farming that were found in the samples analyzed in 2018:
| Substance |
Frequency
|
Product
|
Amount [mg/kg]
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Azadirachtin A |
4 |
Bell Pepper (2 samples) |
0.003 / 0.007 |
|
Pyrethrum |
1 |
Bell Pepper |
0.005 |
|
Piperonyl butoxide |
0 |
- |
- |
|
Spinosad |
12 |
Bananas |
0.003 |
The rate of detection for these substances among the total of 355 analyzed samples was 4.8 % (4.2 % in 2017; 9.9 % in 2016; 8.6 % in 2015; and 10.4 % in 2014). Other substances authorized for use in organic farming such as natural oils, sulphur, copper or ferrous salts were not analyzed as part of these investigations.
Special Findings
In the following section residue data and results for special substances or projects / food groups are presented that were excluded from the observations made thus far. They require individual consideration, either due to unique characteristics regarding their existence, applications, possible modes of entry and analysis, or because they present new or special problems.
Nicotine
Info Box
Nicotine
Nicotine is a neurotoxin that is harmful to humans and, in higher amounts, to insects (insecticide). It can occur naturally in plants of, e.g. the nightshade family (solanaceae); however, except for tobacco plants, the amount is low. This substance is among the most poisonous pesticides ever authorized for use in Europe. Although nicotine is still used to some extent in third countries (as an active ingredient in pesticides or for the preparation of tobacco), it has been banned in Europe from use in pesticides since 2010, as a result of its high toxicity (acute reference dose: 0.0008 mg/kg bodyweight). Exposure to nicotine can still come from contact with smokers, however. Regardless of its path of entry, nicotine falls under the area of applications in Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005.
CVUA Stuttgart published the report “Nicotine from tobacco – a ‚natural‘ substance against plant pests?“ on the topic of tobacco brew.
At the beginning of 2019 CVUA Stuttgart published another report on this topic, entitled “Nicotine in Food: What Does Smoking Have To Do With It?“. The content was two-fold, including analytical results as well as model trials that showed to what extent relevant amounts of nicotine can end up on food when a person smokes and then comes into contact with food.
The Chemical and Veterinary Investigations Office (CVUA) Stuttgart established a refined method with preliminary screening for analyzing the parameters of nicotine in fruits and vegetables. In this reporting year a total of 355 samples from organic culture were analyzed especially for nicotine. Of these, 9 samples (2.5 %), compared to 19 of 324 (5.9 %) samples in 2017, contained nicotine (> 0.01 mg/kg). One sample (0.3 %) was in violation due to an exceedance of the maximum residue level (oyster mushrooms from Germany). Two further samples exceeded the limit: dried black beans from China and dried mung beans from India, but this was not verified within the measurement uncertainty. These cases were highlighted in a report drawing attention to the increased residue levels. In 2017 there were four (1.2 %) additional samples that were reported for violation. It is important to note here that nicotine residues can have various paths of entry (see Info Box) that are to be considered and discussed. An overview of the analyzed samples containing detectable amounts of nicotine, itemized by food group or matrix, is presented in the following table.
| Matrix / Type of Sample |
Amount of Nicotine [mg/kg]
|
|---|---|
| Basil | 0.030 |
| Oyster mushrooms | 0.023 |
| Goji berries, dried | 0.011 / 0.015 / 0.018 |
| Wild mushrooms, dried (edible boletus) | 0.53 |
| Legumes, dried (beans) | 0.012 / 0.013 |
| Green Tea | 0.052 |
In 2017, due to conspicuous, low-level findings (< 0.01 mg/kg) of nicotine in fruit and vegetables (e.g. locally grown apples), we carried out model trials to determine to what extent the consumption of tobacco could lead to the transfer of nicotine from a smoker’s hands to food. The methodology and results of this contamination trial is described in detail in the 2017 annual organic monitoring report. The experiments showed that, shortly after having smoked a cigarette, measurable amounts of nicotine could be transferred from the smoker’s hands onto an apple. The transfer of nicotine to moist foods was even higher, reaching the low - set, legal maximum residue levels in some cases. CVUA Stuttgart does reporting on possible sources of contamination; however, since the modes of entry and/or the cause of detected residues are normally not known, the labeling of such foods as „organic“ are not judged to be fraudulent in these cases. Regardless of its mode of entry, however, nicotine is subject to the MRL established by Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005. Analyses of nicotine residues will continue in 2019.
Trimethylsulfonium cation (Trimesium)
Residues of the substance trimethlysulfonium cation were analyzed in 355 organic samples in 2018. Trimethlysulfonium cation is listed in Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 as a substance that forms as a result of the use of glyphosate. This substance cannot be integrated into the investigative spectrum of the QuEChERS multi-method due to its particular properties; it requires its own processing and analytical method. Residues of trimethlysulfonium cation were detected in six samples (1.7 %), none of which were over the maximum residue level (with consideration of drying factors). This is an improvement compared to 2017, when 28 of 324 samples (8.6 %) contained residues and 10 of these were in violation for being over the limit. The following table shows an overview of the analyzed samples with detected residue amounts, itemized by matrix.
| Matrix/ Type of Sample |
Amount of
Trimethylsulfonium-cation [mg/kg] |
|---|---|
| Sunflower seeds | 0.015 |
| Wheatgrass powder | 0.068 |
| Beetroot, precooked & vacuum-packed | 0.012 |
| Linseed, shredded or kibbled / ground | 0.034 |
| Herbal tea (Chamomile) | 0.009 |
| Green tea | 0.087 |
There are indications, however, that trimethylsulfonium (trimesium) occurs as a contaminant in tea and dried (processed) foods as a result of processing methods. Further research into the causes is necessary, in order to account for this situation in any likely judgments that may be made regarding these residues in organic foods. Reports on such findings point to possible paths of entry and formation in the particular matrix in question. Regardless of its paths of entry, trimethylsulfonium cation, as well as the aforementioned nicotine, falls under the applications area in Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 and is subject to the maximum residue limits provided therein. Trimesium will also be further analyzed in 2019.
Phosphonic Acid / Phosphonates / Fosetyl
In this reporting year a total of 355 samples from organic culture were analyzed especially for the fungicidal substances fosetyl and phosphonic acid. Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 lists the substances as sum parameters of fosetyl (sum of fosetyl and phosphonic acid and their salts, expressed as fosetyl). It is important to note that residues from phosphonic acid can have various causes (see Info Box on phosphonic acid and fosetyl). Neither of these substances is integrated into the investigative spectrum of the QuEChERS multi-method due to their particular properties; they require their own processing and analytical methods.
Info Box
Phosphonic Acid and Fosetyl
Both fosetyl and phosphonic acid are fungicides that are permitted for use in the EU, and fall under the applications area of Reg. (EC) No. 396/2005, regardless of their path of entry. Neither of these substances are authorized for use in organic farming, however.
Detected amounts of phosphonic acid can result from the use of a fungicide that contains potassium phosphonate or fosetyl aluminum. They can also be caused by the use of a phosphonate-containing fertilizer. This application is no longer possible because of the classification of phosphonate as a fungicide (pesticide substance), however. High levels of phosphonic acid could also stem from an earlier application, because plants tend to retain this substance for a long time. There is evidence that plants store phosphonic acid and only release it gradually over time.
The following table shows an overview of the samples with detectable residues, itemized by individual product groups or matrices. In 2018 a total of 31 samples (8.7 %) contained residues, whereby a significant decrease can be seen over the past few years (8.3 % in 2017; 14 % in 2016; 15 % in 2015; 19 % in 2014; and 24 % in 2013).
| Matrix/ Type of Sample |
Amount of
Phosphonic Acid [mg/kg] |
Sum Fosetyl [mg/kg]
(Sum of Fosetyl and Phosphonic Acid, expressed as Fosetyl) |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | 0.065 | 0.087 |
| Avocado | 0.38 | 0.51 |
| Banana (3x) | 0.16 / 0.16 / 0.41 | 0.21 / 0.21 / 0.55 |
| Pear | 0.12 | 0.16 |
| Clementine | 0.11 | 0.15 |
| Kumquat | 0.075 | 0.10 |
| Plum | 0.54 | 0.73 |
| Lemon (2x) | 0.072 / 0.35 | 0.097 / 0.47 |
| Cucumber (2x) | 0.30 / 0.33 | 0.40 / 0.44 |
| Radish | 0.81 | 1.1 |
| Rucola/Rocket | 0.60 | 0.81 |
| Onion | 1.0 | 1.3 |
| Tomato | 0.17 | 0.23 |
| Potato (2x) | 0.060 / 16.6 | 0.081 / 22.3 |
| Apricots, dried | 1.3 | 1.7 |
| Raisin (2x) | 0.086 / 0.12 | 0.12 / 0.16 |
| Buckwheat kernels | 0.13 | 0.17 |
| Quinoa | 0.56 | 0.75 |
| Beans, dried (3x) | 0.25 / 0.30 / 0.31 | 0.34 / 0.40 / 0.42 |
| Lentils, dried | 0.14 | 0.19 |
| Baby food (Prepared fruit in a jar) |
0.018 / 0.055 / 0.085 | 0.024 / 0.074 / 0.11 |
These residues occurred in a variety of different matrices, from diverse countries of origin, and thus cannot be limited to single food types or countries. There was a very wide range of detectable levels of phosphonic acid, from trace amounts of less than 0.02 mg/kg to a peak value of 16.6 mg/kg in a potato sample, 1.3 mg/kg in a dried apricot, and 1.0 mg/kg in an onion sample. Also of interest is the fact that only residues from phosphonic acid were found in all of the analyzed samples, whereas no residues of fosetyl per se were detectable. This points to the likelihood of a fertilizer application.
Because the source of the phosphonic acid residues can’t be determined in the laboratory (see Info Box on phosphonic acid and fosetyl), 22 samples with residue amounts > 0.1 mg/kg (compared with 21 cases in 2017 and 43 in 2016) were highlighted in a report with the goal of raising awareness among the producers, so that they would attempt to identify the possible paths of entry.
In this reporting year the maximum residue levels for fosetyl (sum of fosetyl and phosphonic acid and their salts, expressed as fosetyl) according to Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 and the dietary regulation (for baby food) was exceeded in three of the 355 (0.85 %) analyzed samples. These were samples of fruit preparations for babies and young children, for which the dietary regulation issued a maximum of 0.01 mg/kg. It is also known, however, that the residue situation for phosphonic acid in raw materials used in the production of food for babies and young children is problematic, and that the purchase of non-contaminated raw material (even in organic products) seems to be difficult.
Chlorate and Perchlorate
In 2018 a total of 355 samples from organic cultivation were analyzed for chlorate and for the environmental contaminant perchlorate (see Info Boxes). The following table presents an overview of the analyzed samples with their detectable amounts, itemized by matrix. An explanation of the results follows.
| Matrix/ Type of Sample |
Quantity of Chlorate [mg/kg]
|
Quantity of Perchlorate [mg/kg]
|
|---|---|---|
| Fresh Vegetables Eggplant Basil Green Beans (2x) Iceberg Lettuce Lambs Lettuce Fresh Sprouts (Alfalfa) Cucumber (8x) Kohlrabi (2x) Head Lettuce (3x) Garden Cress (Swiss) Chard (2x) Lemon Balm Carrot (4x) Parsley Leaves (3x) Rocket Salad (2x) Sage Celery (Stalks) Broccoli Fennel (2x) Kale (3x) Parsnip Leek Rosemary Spinach (2x) Thyme (2x) Tomato (3x) Zucchini (3x) |
0.018 0.008 0.005 / 0.007 0.006 0.028 0.008 0.005 / 0.006 / 0.007 / 0.045 0.013 0.005 / 0.009 / 0.010 0.012 0.008 0.064 0.010 / 0.013 0.022 0.009 0.12 - - - - - - - - - - - |
- - 0.008 / 0.008 0.009 0.009 - 0.005 – 0.031 0.005 / 0.007 0.005 / 0.005 0.019 0.007 / 0.055 0.008 0.005 / 0.007 / 0.007 / 0.007 0.010 / 0.047 / 0.067 0.009 / 0.012 0.008 0.041 0.006 0.006 / 0.008 0.017 / 0.039 / 0.039 0.012 0.029 0.018 0.018 / 0.023 0.0012 / 0.081 0.007 / 0.008 / 0.010 0.010 / 0.013 / 0.049 |
| Fresh Fruit Apple (2x) Apricot Banana Lemon (3x) Grapefruit Orange Kumquat |
0.005 / 0.010 0.006 0.010 0.006 / 0.016 - - - |
- - - 0.006 / 0.009 / 0.010 0.037 0.008 0.013 |
| Other Potato Beetroot, precooked/ vacuum packed Spinach, deep frozen Chives, deep frozen (4x) Oregano, dried & rubbed Wheatgrass powder Apricots, dried Raisins (3x) Sultanas (2x) Soybeans (2x) Beans, dried Quinoa Millet seed Millet flour Baby food (porridge) Rooibos Tea (4x) Chamomile Blossom Tea Green Tea |
0.069 0.006 - - - - 0.057 0.006 / 0.010 / 0.012 0.010 / 0.019 0.007 - - - - 0.007 - - - |
- 0.006 0.005 0.005 / 0.006 / 0.007 / 0.008 0.17 0.081 - 0.006 - 0.019 / 0.032 0.018 0.011 0.014 0.026 - 0.056 / 0.073 / 0.17 / 0.79 0.026 1.3 |
Perchlorate residues were detected in 77 out of 355 (22 %) organic samples (23 % in 2017; 17 % in 2016; 20 % in 2015; 31 % in 2014; 19 % in 2013) and chlorate was found in 39 (11 %) samples (16 % in 2017; 12 % in 2016; 16 % in 2015; 20 % in 2014; and 26 % in 2013). As was the case with phosphonic acid, these findings were also spread over a wide variety of matrices and countries of origin, and could not, therefore, be reduced to individual sample types or countries.
Similar to fosetyl and phosphonic acid, the properties of these two substances prevent them from being integrated into the investigative spectrum of the QuEChERS multi-method; they require their own processing and analytical method.
Chlorate and perchlorate have been routinely analyzed within the scope of the organic monitoring program since 2013. These substances will also be a focal point of investigations in 2019.
Perchlorate
In line with the European Contamination Regulation (EEC) No. 315/93, reports on organic samples with elevated levels of perchlorate (> 0.1 mg/kg, based on the fresh product) were submitted, in order to promote investigations into their causation and to encourage measures to minimize the amounts. In 2018 there were three (1.0 %) such cases from organic cultivation (2.5 % in 2017; 2.4 % in 2016; 2.0 % in 2015; 2.2 % in 2014). These were samples of rooibos tea (2x) and green tea. One of the rooibos tea samples and the green tea exceeded the determined reference value for perchlorate amounts of 0.75 mg/kg.
CVUA Stuttgart addressed the issue of perchlorate six years ago. With the reduction of fertilizer use, the amounts found in plant-based foods have sunk in the meantime. Nevertheless, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has recommended a further reduction due to toxicological concerns. Furthermore, the EU Commission plans to establish MRLs under the EU regulation for maximum contaminant levels (Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006). It has also recommended another regulation, but this has not yet been finalized and legalized. This would be an important further step and a major success for consumer and health protection.
Info Box
Perchlorate
Perchlorates are the salts of perchloric acid. They are generally soluble in water, and exist permanently in the environment. The industrial use of perchlorates is extensive and diverse: they are used in the metal processing industry, in paper finishing, as a diuretic, as an oxidant, and as explosive and incendiary devices. According to a report by the Federal Environment Agency, this widespread industrial use of perchlorate could be a cause of food contamination. Perchlorate finds its way into the food chain via, e.g. contaminated sludge that is used in agriculture (not, however, in organic agriculture) or by other components from such processes. It can also be assumed that these substances are found ubiquitously in small concentrations in rain water and contaminated environmental compartments such as in the water cycle and soil. It is also known that perchlorates occur from fertilizers and artificial irrigation. Analyses conducted on fertilizer based on chile saltpeter revealed high levels of perchlorate. Particular fertilizers used especially in greenhouse cultivation cause the enrichment of perchlorate in soil.
Because perchlorate is a contaminant, not a plant protection substance, there was and is no legal maximum residue level established for it. Based on recommendations by the EU Commission in March and June of 2015, however, the Standing Committee for Plants, Animals, Food & Feed (SCPAFF) set temporary reference values for perchlorate in food (between 0.02 and 1.0 mg/kg), in order to ensure the marketability of food products. Foods containing residues of perchlorate under these reference values are therewith marketable in all member states.
Chlorate
A total of 14 (3.9 %) of the 355 analyzed samples (6.8 % in 2017; 6.2 % in 2016; 11 % in 2015; 16 % in 2014) contained chlorate residues > 0.01 mg/kg. Although there are known possible paths of entry, it cannot be said with absolute certainty where the amount in a particular sample came from (see Info Box on chlorate). Samples with verified MRL exceedances (chlorate values > 0.02 mg/kg) were officially reported to be in violation. In 2018, there were six (1.7 %) such cases (3.1 % in 2017; 1.9 % in 2016; 3.3 % in 2015; 7.3 % in 2014). These included cucumber from Spain, potatoes from Israel, lambs lettuce, parsley leaves, sage and lemon balm from Germany.
In 2015 the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published new toxicological assessments regarding chlorate residues in food (acute reference dose of 0.036 mg/kg bodyweight and day). Based on these assessments, none of the analyzed samples exceeded these health-based reference values. That means none exhausted the values by more than 100 %, and posed thereby no chronic or acute health problems.
Info Box
Chlorate
Chlorates are effective as both herbicides and biocides. Since 2008, however, chlorate is no longer authorized for use as a pesticide* in the EU. Sodium chlorate may also no longer be used in biocide products.
The definition for „pesticide residues“ in Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 also encompasses residues from pesticide substances in food (including substances no longer authorized) that have pathways other than from the use of plant protectant products (so-called dual-use substances), such as the case of chlorate in food. Chlorate is thereby covered by the EU-wide valid default MRL of 0.01 mg/kg, in accordance with Reg. (EC) No. 396/2005. In Germany, 2017, maximums of 70 µg/l chlorate for long-term use and 200 µg/l chlorate for short-term dosages were established for drinking water when the disinfection could not be otherwise guaranteed**.
The presence of chlorate in food can result not only from its use as a pesticide, but also due to environmental pollution (contaminated sprinkling- or irrigation water and soil), or as a residual of food production techniques, including methods used in farming, manufacturing, processing, preparation, or treatment. The application of biocides, from which chlorate can result, is another possible source of contamination. In general, chlorate can be formed as a by-product of the disinfection of drinking / non-potable water with chloric gas, hypochlorite, or chlorine dioxide.
Chlorate inhibits, reversibly, the intake of iodine into the thyroid gland and can cause unwanted health effects, especially in sensitive people such as children, pregnant women, or people with thyroid dysfunction. In addition to affecting thyroid function, chlorate can also damage the erythrocytes (formation of methaemoglobin, haemolysis)***.
The member states are carrying out a monitoring program to determine the degree of food and drinking water contamination, in order to provide data for a toxicological evaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Specific MRLs will then be established based on this information.
Sources: Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)[1], European Commission[2]
* Commission Decision of 10 November 2008 concerning the non-inclusion of chlorate in Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/ECC and the withdrawal of authorizations for plant protection products containing that substance (OJ of the EU L307/7 of 18 November 2008)
Hydrogen Phosphide (Phosphine)
In 2018 CVUA Stuttgart analyzed 29 organic samples especially for residues of the fumigant hydrogen phosphide (phosphine). Hydrogen phosphide is often used in sea containers to kill pests during ship transport, but also in storage houses where the wares are stored. Analyses were carried out on cereals, cereal products, and dried legumes. Phosphine is not authorized for use in organic cultivation, so residues were not to be expected. In contrast to the previous year, in which small amounts (< 3 µg/kg) of hydrogen phosphide were detected in six out of 50 samples (12 %), and the highest amount at 2.5 µg/kg in dried lentils, individual samples also contained significantly higher amounts in 2018. This year four of the 29 analyzed samples (14 %) were detected with phosphine residues, although two (6.9 %) of these samples (both dried lentils from Turkey) only contained small amounts of hydrogen phosphide less than 3 µg/kg.
One sample of millet seeds from the Ukraine was found to contain residues of hydrogen phosphide in the amount of 5.6 µg/kg. Since such high amounts are not expected in products from organic cultivation, this case was reported in order to follow-up on these findings and to determine possible causes for the residues. Cross-contamination should be avoided, but the practicality of this seems to be difficult. Contamination via dust from the abrasion of previously stored, treated/fumigated products is also being discussed, as this dust can cling or settle onto the inner walls of the container or storage units and then be transferred to the next shipment of untreated goods if not properly cleaned. All of the above-mentioned three samples contained detectable amounts of phosphine that lay under the legal maximum residue levels stipulated by Reg. (EC) No. 396/2005.
A quantity of hydrogen phosphide above the legal maximum residue level was nevertheless found in one sample of dried lentils from Italy. With a verified level of 38.1 µg/kg phosphine, well above the MRL of 10 µg/kg, this sample was reported for being in violation. The product claim of being organically grown was judged to be fraudulent. Including this case, the rate of violations from 2018 is 3.4 %
For comparison: among the conventionally grown samples four of the 32 analyzed samples (12.5 %) contained residues of hydrogen phosphide (dried lentils at 6.7 µg/kg and 16.6 µg/kg, dried beans at 4.9 µg/kg, and wheat kernels at 3.7 µg/kg). The lentils containing 16.6 µg/kg exceeded the established MRL of 10 µg/kg although, under consideration of the analytical measurement uncertainty of 50 %, the exceedance cannot be verified. CVUA Stuttgart published a report (in German) as early as 2012 on the topic of residues from the fumigant hydrogen phosphide in arid (dry) plant-based foods on their website.
| Matrix/ Type of Sample |
No. of Samples
|
Amount of
Hydrogen Phosphide [µg/kg] |
|---|---|---|
| Legumes, dried | 19 | Lentils: 2.4; 1.6; 38.1 |
| Cereals and Cereal Products | 10 | Millet Seeds: 5.6 |
Note
Detailed information (including results tables) can be found in the German version of the monitoring report .
If you have any questions concerning the report on the Organic Monitoring Program of Baden-Württemberg, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Translated by: Catherine Leiblein
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