Anna Hartz
More consumers are paying attention to what ends up on their plates and where their food comes from.
Food safety has become a growing concern across Europe. Products imported from outside the European Union are often part of that discussion, especially when it comes to pesticide use and health regulations.
Now, the consumer group Foodwatch says laboratory tests found traces of pesticides that are banned in the European Union inside several food products sold in European stores, according to El Economista.
Banned in the EU
The organization announced the findings on Tuesday after testing 64 products purchased in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands.
The products included rice, tea, spices, paprika, chili powder, and cumin.
According to Foodwatch, 49 of the tested products contained traces of one or more pesticides. In 45 samples, the organization found residues of substances that are not approved for use in the European Union.
Foodwatch also said 14 of the products contained pesticide levels above the legal maximum allowed under EU rules. The group believes those products should not have been sold at all.
Some of the strongest concerns were linked to spices. Every paprika, chili, and cumin sample tested by the group contained at least one pesticide banned in the EU.
One paprika product reportedly contained traces of 22 different pesticides. Six of those substances are not approved in the European Union.
Foodwatch described the situation as a “toxic boomerang effect.”
A system with loopholes
The group says some pesticides banned inside Europe are still manufactured by European companies and exported to countries outside the EU. Crops treated with those chemicals can later be imported back into Europe and sold in supermarkets.
The organization criticized the European Commission for not doing enough to stop the practice.
Foodwatch also argued that current EU rules leave loopholes in the system. Even after a pesticide is banned, legal residue limits are not always automatically lowered to the minimum level.
Instead, regulators often review substances one by one and consider trade and commercial interests before changing the limits.
The consumer group wants stricter rules for imported food and a complete end to the export of banned pesticides.
The organization also warned that proposed changes to EU food safety laws may still allow products containing banned pesticide residues to enter the European market.
For many shoppers, the report raises fresh questions about how food safety standards are enforced and whether current regulations are strong enough to protect consumers.
