ASSESSING PESTICIDE RISK IN CERTAIN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION

Abstract

Climate changes, freshwater scarcity, diminishing arable land, and particularly the prevalence of harmful agents pose significant challenges to food production, necessitating robust plant protection measures. Contemporary science faces several key issues, including increasing concerns regarding food safety, the rising trend of organic farming, the emergence of resistant populations of pests, and the loss of biodiversity due to chemical pesticide use. It is therefore crucial to protect consumers from exposure to unacceptable levels of pesticides through ongoing monitoring programs. Over the past decade, the presence of food containing pesticide residues has risen significantly, raising major safety concerns for consumers globally. Consequently, the detection and 
quantification of these residues in food have become paramount. Therefore, evaluation the adverse health effects of pesticides through risk assessment are still required. This is particularly important for food mainly consumed fresh, such as fruits and vegetables. This study assessed the health risks associated with pesticide residues from the classes of diamides, spinosyns, strobilurins, and methoxycarbamates in various fruits and vegetables. The evaluation involved calculating the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Hazard Quotient (HQ), and Hazard Index (HI). The research was conducted based on findings from a dissipation experiment. Results indicated that the detected residue levels fell within safe limits, suggesting that their consumption does not present a significant health risk to humans.