The term “pesticides” is commonly used as a synonym for plant protection products. These are substances or mixtures of substances intended to prevent, destroy, control or protect plants or plant products from harmful organisms or diseases during production, storage and transport. The use of plant protection products allows better use and stabilisation of the yield potential of crops.
Pesticide residues resulting from use of plant protection products on food or feed crops may present a risk to public health. In order to provide safe and healthy food to consumers, producers and suppliers should monitor the levels of pesticide residues. Maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides are established in Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 February 2005 on maximum residue levels of pesticides in or on food and feed of plant and animal origin and amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC, as amended.
The accredited Hamilton UO-Technology laboratory in Słomczyn offers comprehensive testing for pesticide residues using the “multi” method (MRM) in products such as:
- fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables and processed products including juices,
- cereals and cereal products,
- food of animal origin: meat, fish, milk and milk products,
- tea,
- mushrooms,
- soil,
- substrates for cultivation – e.g., mushrooms.
In the laboratory we also determine pesticide residues by specific methods:
- chlorates and perchlorates,
- etephon,
- phosphonic acid and fosetyl,
- maleic hydrazide,
- dithiocarbamates, expressed as CS2,
- mepiquat and chlormequat,
- BAC and DDAC / quaternary amines,
- others.
We have state-of-the-art equipment dedicated to pesticide residue analysis:
- gas chromatographs coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (GC QQQ),
- liquid chromatographs coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC QQQ),
- gas chromatographs coupled with mass spectrometry with super-surface phase analysis (HS-GC- MS).
The equipment allows us to provide customers with pesticide residue results in test samples at levels that meet the requirements of EU legislation. We offer our customers testing for over 700 pesticide residues. To meet our customers’ requirements, we offer a dedicated range of pesticide residue tests for:
- conventional foodstuffs,
- organic foods,
- for the GLOBAL GAP certification of agricultural holdings,
- others.
We are certified by the German Fruit Monitoring organisation, which operates a joint monitoring system for pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables for the German retail companies Dohle, EDEKA / Netto MD, Globus, METRO (Real, METRO Cash & Carry), Norma, REWE.
When partnering with us, you can expect the following:
- declaration of conformity of the results with EU requirements,
- determination whether the results comply with US (FDA) requirements,
- determination of the compatibility of organic farming results,
- the possibility of calculating the ARfD (Acute Reference Dose),
- professional consultancy.
