Latvia is among EU leaders when it comes to food safety, as reported by Ministry of Agriculture press and public relations representative Dagnija Muceniece, based on information from the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA).
EU laboratories analysed samples of 118 Latvian food products. No pesticide residues were found in 87.29% of them.
In 12.71% of samples pesticide residues were on acceptable levels,
but no cases of pesticide residues exceeding permitted levels were found.
EFSA reports on the concentration of pesticides in food products sold on the European market. In 2021 the report on pesticides in food concerned EU member states, Iceland and Norway.
In Latvia a total of 237 samples were analysed as part of the EU coordinated multi-year control programme. 20.25% of these samples were from Latvia, 54.43% were from EU and 25.32% were from third countries.
The maximum exceeding residue volume detected was 2,53% in food products from third countries.
The cleanliness of food products made in Latvia proves this country’s agriculture still uses far less pesticides than many other EU member states, says the ministry’s representative. While in Latvia the average volume of pesticides used per 1 ha is 0.97 kg, it is 1.7 kg in Poland, 2.89 kg in Germany, 3.94 kg in Belgium, and more than 8 kg per ha in Cyprus and Malta.
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