{Project} Beurteilung von Rückständen auf Bioprodukten. [Evaluation of contaminations on organic food and feedstuff.] Runs 2004 - 2007. Project Leader(s): Wyss, Gabriela and Nowack, Karin, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), CH-5070 Frick .
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Document available online at: http://www.fibl.org/de/schweiz/forschung/lebensmittelqualitaet.html
Summary
Bioprodukte sind nur so gut wie die Umwelt, in der sie produziert werden. Gewisse Rückstände von chemisch-synthetischen Pestiziden sind somit auch in einem biologisch produzierten Lebensmittel zu erwarten und zu akzeptieren.
Bioprodukte stehen aber gut da. In allen Untersuchungen zu Pestizidrückständen auf Bioprodukten im Vergleich zu Produkten aus anderen Anbausystemen werden geringe Rückstandsmengen oder keine Rückstände nachgewiesen.
Summary translation
State of the Art:
In organic agriculture the use of synthetic pesticides is not allowed. Both the EU Regulation and the IFOAM Norms are based on a certification of process, not on special qualities for the products that are a result of this process.
However, in some cases pesticide residues still can be detected on fresh and processed foods even thought there has been neither an infringement nor an irregularity in respect to the regulation.
Contamination sources are manifold ranging from drift situations in the field, inappropriate separation during storage and processing to the unexpected such as phthalate or migration of other compounds into food. In very rare cases, deliberate application has been carried out. The latter case is sanctioned when proved by the organic control bodies.
Definition of the problem:
The absence or presence of chemical pesticide residues does not necessarily indicate if a product has been produced and handled in accordance with the requirements for organic production. However, analysis of organic products is one of the complement tools that can be used to verify compliance.
There is no legal foundation which tells what level of residues can still be accepted in order to claim food as organic. Even if a residue is found above the limit, the products may have been produced in accordance with the standards. And the other way round, a product below the limit would not necessarily conform to all standards.
Therefore it seems not appropriate to define special residue limits that can determine if the requirements for organic production have been followed or not. This will be a clear contradiction to the principle of the organic inspection system which is a ‘system’ approach focused on the process of production rather than regulating the outcome.
Consumers generally expect organic food to be produced ecologically and in a way in which they can trust. They further expect it to be healthy, and not or less contaminated with pesticides, mycotoxins or other unwanted compounds.
The occurrence of pesticide residues on organic foods has become a special concern, not as a human threat but in terms of consumer expectations. The introduction of more sensitive analytical methods reveals more organic products with traces of minute amounts of pesticides that are not allowed in organic agriculture.
However, the low levels of contamination, in the range of a few micrograms per kilogram, do not harm human health. When residues are present, they are usually of lower incidence and lower levels than residues in and on non-organically produced food.
Efforts to prevent carrying off of pesticides or insufficient separation of organic and non-organic material are enormous and are standard procedure in organic farming and processing systems. There can be weak points throughout food supply chains in terms of unintended entry pathways of pesticides or other compounds. The organic controlling system – which is based upon food supply chain documentation and unannounced sampling for pesticide analysis, as well as upon the elaborated sampling plans of most retailers and operations – works efficiently.
Findings of spraying of organic food in contravention of organic production standards are rare. Most of the cases identified can be related to weak points in quality assurance systems that can be prevented in the future.
In Switzerland, there is the unique situation that most of the cases identified are investigated individually for their source of contamination and measures are elaborated for each case. FiBL has set up a database for background information on residue levels in organic and non-organic foods and the causes of contamination. Together with Swiss organic labels, FiBL has elaborated a strategy how to investigate potential weak points in organic quality assurance systems for e.g. fungicides in wine and pest control in storage of rice and cereals.
Project aims including target group:
Investigation of residue cases in terms of compliance with the organic regulation as well as prevention of such contaminations on organic food and feedstuff in the future.
Information of involved stakeholders as well as communication of problems to potential stakeholders also are an important part of the project. Stakeholders comprise farmers, processors, governmental agencies, label organisations, control bodies, as well as consumers.
Information platform for scientists, consumers, authorities and the public.
Methodology:
-Risk assessment of organic food and feed production for pesticides, bacterias, heavy metal and other contaminations.
-Maintenance of database with residue cases and their contamination sources, including data on organic and conventional material
-Evaluation of residue cases based on plausibility to decide if there was compliance with the regulations.
-Literature reviews
-Monitoring programs
Results, conclusion, state of the art:
Several leaflets and articles have been published which indicate ways for prevention of contaminations.
Literature:
Topic Organic Wine
Wyss GS, Tamm L, Häseli A. 2001. Pestizidrückstände im Biowein: Wie vermeiden? FiBL Merkblatt. https://www.fibl.org/shop/pdf/mb-pestizidrueckstaende.pdf.
Wyss, G.S. and Tamm, L. (2001). Pestizidspuren im Wein (1): Kein Grund zur Panik, aber Anlass zum Handeln. bioaktuell 5: 4-5.
Seiler, K., Wyss, G.S. and Tamm, L. (2001). Pestizidspuren im Wein (2): Woher kommen die Verunreinigungen? bioaktuell 6: 10-11.
Wyss, G.S., Tamm, L., Seiler, K. and Biedermann, R. (2001a). Pestizidspuren im Wein (3): Wo liegt der Handlungsbedarf? bioaktuell 7:19-21.
Wyss GS, Tamm L, Seiler K. 2003. Verunreinigungen von biologisch erzeugten Nahrungsmitteln mit chemisch-synthetischen Pestiziden: Fallstudie Biowein. In: 7. Wissenschaftstagung zum ökologischen Landbau, Wien, 24.2. - 26.2.2003; Freyer B (Hrsg.) Beiträge zur 7. Wissenschaftstagung zum Ökologischen Landbau - Ökologischer Landbau der Zukunft, Seite(n) 241-244. Universität für Bodenkultur, Wien.
Wyss GS, Tamm L, Seiler K. 2002. Contamination of organic produce by synthetic pesticides: organic wine as a case study. In: Proceedings of the 14th IFOAM Organic World Congress “Cultivating Communities” 21 – 24 August 2002, Victoria, Canada, Robert Thompson (ed.). p. 214.
Topic Mykotoxine
Wyss, GS. 2003. Mykotoxine im Getreide: Wie vermeiden? FiBL Merkblatt. https://www.fibl.org/shop/pdf/mb-mykotoxine.pdf
Wyss, GS. 2005. Assessing the risk from mycotoxins for the organic food chain: results from Organic HACCP-project and other research. In: Proceedings of the 4th SAFO Workshop, FiBL, Frick, 17 – 19 March 2005, 133-136.
Topic Quality Assurance
Wyss, GS. and Brandt, K. 2005. Assessment of current procedures for animal food production chains and critical control points regarding their safety and quality: preliminary results from the Organic HACCP-project. In: Proceedings of the 4th SAFO Workshop, FiBL, Frick, CH, 17 – 19 March 2005, 127-132.
Topic Persistant Pesticides
Wyss, GS., Nowack, K., Koller M., and Mäder P. 2004. Managing strategies for organochlorine contaminated soils for a safe food production. In: Proceedings of the Workshop Group 3: Improving nutritional quality and safety of food crops, COST 859, 11-13 November 2004, Greenwich, UK.
| EPrint Type: | Project description |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Pesticide residues, contamination, organic food, feed, Organic HACCP, prevention strategies, Qualitätssicherung, Contamination |
| Subjects: | Food systems > Food security, food quality and human health |
| Research affiliation: | Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > Society > Food quality |
| Research funders: | Switzerland > Bio Suisse |
| Related Links: | https://www.fibl.org/de/standorte/schweiz/departemente/soziooekonomie/konsum-lebensmittel.html, http://www.bio-suisse.ch, https://orgprints.org/perl/search/advanced?addtitle%2Ftitle=&addtitle%2Ftitle_merge=ALL&authors=&authors_merge=ALL&editors=&editors_merge=ALL&abstract%2Fengabstract=&abstract%2Fengabstract_merge=ALL&keywords=Qualit%C3%A4tssicherung%2C+Contamination&keyword |
| Start Date: | 1 January 2004 |
| End Date: | 31 December 2007 |
| Deposited By: | Wyss, Dr. Gabriela S. |
| ID Code: | 5413 |
| Deposited On: | 07 Oct 2005 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Dec 2020 12:44 |
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