In comparison to other European country, Polish crops contain pesticide residues at similar level. Violation of MRLs are on the level 1.6–1.9% for EUcoordinated programmes and 2.5–2.8% in national programmes of European Union countries [17, 18], while in Polish crops they range from 0.4% [12] to 5.4% [9]. Results of our studies concerning exceedance of MRLs are also within this range. Other authors also detected fungicides as the most common residue, followed by insecticide and herbicide residues [11, 14]. The kinds of detected substances are also very similar [11, 14]. In recent years, an increase in the number of samples with non-recommended substances is observed, due to reductions in the number of approved plant protection products and changes in the scope of application [19, 20].
CONCLUSIONS
1. The detectable pesticide residues have been found in 100% of gooseberry and over 70% of apple samples. 2. In many agricultural products the residues of more than one pesticide are present. 3. Monitoring of pesticide residues in the agricultural crops at premarket stage should be continued to prevent market from the penetration by products with non-acceptable residues of pesticides and to protect consumers against excessive exposure to pesticide residues.
Acknowledgements This work was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development under Long-Term Programme of IPP–NRI for 2011–2015 “Protection of cultivated plants with the consideration of food safety, reduction of yield losses and threat to humans, farm animals and the environment”, task No. 1.8. ‘The study of pesticide residues in agricultural crops’.