Pesticide residues, including substances not approved within the European Union, have been detected in everyday food products such as rice, tea and spices, according to new laboratory tests conducted by the organisation Foodwatch.
The report raises concerns about food safety standards and cross-border contamination of imported products in the European market.
High levels of contamination identified
According to the findings, 49 out of 64 tested samples contained pesticide residues, while 45 samples included substances not authorised in the EU.
In addition, 14 products exceeded the maximum residue limits (MRLs), meaning they should not normally be allowed on the market.
Overall, the study identified 54 different active substances and 293 separate pesticide detections.
Spices and tea among most affected
The most heavily contaminated products were spices, particularly paprika, along with green tea.
In some paprika samples, between seven and 22 different pesticide residues were found in a single product. One paprika product sold in the Netherlands contained 22 different pesticides, six of which are not approved in the EU.
Concerns over banned substances
Among the most frequently detected substances were chlorfenapyr, bifenthrin, spirotetramat, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, imidacloprid and isoprothiolane.
Many of these chemicals are linked to serious health and environmental risks and are either banned or heavily restricted within the EU.
The report also criticises current EU rules that still allow the production and export of banned pesticides to third countries, which can later re-enter the EU food chain through imports.
“Toxic boomerang” effect
The organisation describes this pattern as a “toxic pesticide boomerang”, arguing that substances banned in Europe are effectively returning via imported food products.
According to data from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), six of the detected pesticides were exported from EU member states to third countries between 2024 and 2025.
Call for stricter EU rules
Foodwatch is calling on the European Commission to introduce a full ban on the trade of pesticides not approved for use in the EU.
It also urges automatic lowering of residue limits to the lowest detectable level, stronger food safety controls, and increased accountability from producers and retailers across the supply chain.
Source: CNA
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