We have looked at all the governments published residue results between Jan 2000 and June 2005, and summarised what they tell us about the pesticide residues in grapes.

Grapes have been tested on 12 occasions since the beginning of 2000. One of these (in 2001) was a special survey with a small number of pesticides being tested for. A further survey was conducted in the 4th quarter of 2005

The total number of samples that have been tested is 529, which includes 6 organic samples (Each sample is at least five bunches of grapes weighing at least 2 kg).

Which pesticides turn up on grapes?
The five most commonly reported pesticides (with approximate percentages* of non-organic survey samples reported to contain them):

1	Iprodione	18%
2	Captan	12%
3	Procymidone	11%
4	Chlorpyrifos	10%
5	Carbendazim	6%

*Not all the individual pesticides were tested for in all the samples, and so the percentages may underestimate their occurrence.

Find out more about the health and environmental effects of these pesticides

There were 46 different pesticides found at least once over the 12 surveys

How frequently do residues occur on grapes?
53% (283) of all samples contained measurable residues, of which none were organic.

24% (127) of samples had more than one pesticide residue. The highest number of pesticides found in one sample was six.  The average number of pesticides found in non-organic samples was 0.93.  Taking into account only those samples that do contain residues, the average number of pesticides found was 1.71

How often are residues greater than legal limits?
Fourteen samples had one residue that was above the legal limit and four samples had two residues above the legal limit.

Residues greater than the legal limit reported in grapes between 2000 and June 2005

Report	Country of origin	Pesticide	Residue found, mg/kg	Legal limit (MRL), mg/kg
2000Q2	Israel	Chlorpyrifos	0.8	0.5
2000Q2	Unknown	Deltamethrin	0.2	0.1
2000Q2	Greece	Methamidophos	0.1	0.01
2000Q2	Greece	Methamidophos	0.3	0.01
2000Q2	Unknown	Methamidophos	0.4	0.01
		Chlorpyrifos-methyl	0.4	0.2
2001Q4	Spain	Chlorpyrifos	0.6	0.5
2001Q4	Unknown	Chlorpyrifos	1.4	0.5
2003Q2	India	Methomyl	0.07	0.05
2003Q2	India	Methomyl	0.07	0.05
		Acephate	0.04	0.02
2003Q4	Greece	Methomyl	0.07	0.05
2003Q4	Greece	Methomyl	0.2	0.05
2004Q2	Egypt	Dimethoate	0.09	0.02
		Omethoate	0.09	0.02
2004Q2	Chile	Omethoate	0.05	0.02
2004Q2	Chile	Methomyl	0.4	0.05