100(2)_str27

ISSN 1392-3196 / e-ISSN 2335-8947
Zemdirbyste-Agriculture, vol. 100, No. 2 (2013), p. 205–212
DOI  10.13080/z-a.2013.100.027

A review of research studies into pesticide residues in food in Lithuania

Julijonas PETRAITIS, Inga JARMALAITĖ, Virginijus VAIČIŪNAS, Remigijus UŠČINAS, Giedrė JANKOVSKIENĖ

Abstract

The current paper presents the evolution of pesticide research in Lithuania during the period 1970–2010. Analyses were based on single residue methods until 1993. Most of the products were of domestic origin and it was known exactly which pesticides had been used, therefore it was possible to obtain the necessary information about the contamination by single residue methods. Simple and inexpensive methods were used, which allowed five laboratories to analyze 3–5 thousand samples per year. In 1972, a high level of contamination (up to 8.1%) in food of animal origin was determined. This resulted from environmental pollution and feed contamination with organochlorine pesticides. Later this contamination decreased, and animal products no longer posed a major pollution problem. The contamination of food of plant origin was at level 1–3%. A significant increase in imports and the lack of information on pesticides used made the single residue methods unsuitable to ensure effective contamination control. The multiresidue methods were developed. Implementation of multiresidue methods enables a laboratory to determine up to 300 pesticides per sample. A total of 4593 samples of food of plant origin were analysed by multiresidue methods, pesticide residues were determined in 1428 samples (31%), exceedances of maximum residue levels (MRLs) were determined in 120 samples (2.6%). This data are comparable with the pesticide monitoring results obtained in other European countries.

Key words: food, multiresidue method, pesticide, pesticide residues, single residue method.

Full text: 100_2_str27.pdf