Dithiocarbamates pesticide residues evolutionin fresh apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) in Brazil – 10 years

Abstract

A critical analysis of the dithiocarbamate (DTCs) residues (ten years) in fresh apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) reported by the Pesticide Residue Analysis Program (PARA) of the Brazilian Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) was carried out. From the total of 1422 apples samples, 605 of them present some levels of contamination. Although the number of positive samples for DTCs were rather low (32.1%) in 2003, the following year (2004) had the highest number of contaminated apples samples (135) corresponding to 83.9%, followed by 2007 with 81.9% (113). Apples in Brazil reached residue levels up to 3.04 mg/kg in 2005, exceeding the country MRL (2 mg/kg). Despite that, the Program does not inform how many and/or the percentage that effectively exceeded that limit. The values were satisfactory (≤MLR) in the prior to 2003 years and so in 2006 and 2007. According to the data analyzed, the apples commercialized in Brazil over the evaluation period, had residue above the MRLs level in bouncing years (2001/2002, 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2012), exposing consumers to the adverse DTCs effects. Considering the ten years evaluated, it was observed that there were no evolution on the residues detected (reduction), nor in the number of samples surveyed or official laboratories for analysis (increase), thus those factors should be improved. There is therefore the need for measures to control the use of this chemical group, and the continuity of ANVISA to formally inform consumers (via website) since it stopped this activity in 2012.