Boost for organic carrots after OP residue worry

Sales of organic carrots have increased by 30 to 40%, according to sources at the Soil Association, and demand for all organic produce has risen. The media has reported widely on the high levels of residues in carrots (see PN27 p3) revealed by new government testing methods, sampling individual carrots. In some of these cases, the acute Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) safety levels were exceeded. It is still not known why these variations occur. The Ministry of Agriculture (MAFF) will spend £1/2 million this year and the same amount next year trying to resolve this issue.

Residues remain
Since announcing high residues in January, MAFF has released figures for OP residues in this year's harvest, and results confirm that the acute ADIs are still exceeded in a few cases. Levels of the OPs chlorfenvinphos and phorate were higher than those found in the research reported in January (see PN27 p3). Residues of other OPs-triazophos, quinalophos and pirimiphos-methyl-were lower than the highest previously recorded. Overall, the pattern of residues found was consistent with previous results.
    The main Ministry response to the high OP levels has been to restrict growers to three or four applications per season. However the recent results show high residues following no more than three applications.
    MAFF has commissioned research to investigate variations in residue levels in other fruit and vegetables, in particular those consumed in large quantities in a single meal.  This includes UK and imported apples, pears tomatoes and celery, and imported oranges, bananas and peaches.
    MAFF will also investigate the distribution of the systemic OP phorate within carrot roots. Data are available on other non-systemic OPs-four-fifths can be removed by peeling and topping. New research will reveal how much systemic phorate is removed by the same process. (DB)

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 28, June 1995, page 27]