Tests show traces of banned Chlorpyrifos in several fruits in Thailand
Thai-PAN group reveals findings from pesticide residue tests on five types of fruits
Pesticide residue in fruits that people consume daily pose risks to health, according to a report by a network following a series of tests.
Chlorpyrifos is a class 4 hazardous substance, which means it is highly dangerous or risky either due to the properties of the substance itself or its usage, such as being a carcinogen, mutagen, toxic to reproduction, or banned by international agreements.
Production, import, export, passage, or possession is prohibited, and it is forbidden to have any residue of this substance in food, vegetables, or fruits, as per the Ministry of Public Health’s Announcement (No. 387) 2017 regarding foods with pesticide residues.
The Thai-PAN (Pesticide Action Network Thailand) page has revealed findings from a pesticide residue test on five types of fruits: chocolate jujube, guava, orange, apple, and dragon fruit, collected from across the country.
Chocolate Jujube: 15 samples tested, all 15 exceeded the standard = 100%
Guava: 17 samples tested, 10 exceeded the standard = 59%
Orange: 17 samples tested, 14 exceeded the standard = 82%
Apple: 17 samples tested, 1 exceeded the standard = 6%
Dragon Fruit: 17 samples tested, 9 exceeded the standard = 53%
Residues of chlorpyrifos were found in the following fruits:
– chocolate jujube, 6 out of 15 samples contained residues
– orange, 4 out of 17 samples contained residues
– guava, 1 out of 17 samples contained residues
Additionally, Thai-PAN revealed more information and laboratory analysis reports for each sample, available for review at thairasfs.com.
The monitoring results for pesticide residues in fruit samples from November 27 to December 11, 2024, were collected from 5 shopping malls and markets across 12 provinces, including Chiang Mai, Nakhon Sawan, Ratchaburi, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Rayong, Khon Kaen, Yasothon, Maha Sarakham, and Ubon Ratchathani. They were analysed using multi-residue analysis, covering 419 pesticides, conducted at the BVAQ laboratory in Thailand, accredited under ISO/IEC 17025, and compared with the standards set by the Ministry of Public Health.
