More than a third of‘extra virgin olive oil sold in Europe It would contain pesticides residues beyond the legal limits. This is the fact that emerges from monitoring conducted by the research team ofUniversity of Messinawhich analyzed 50 Evo oil samples from different European Union countries, covering three consecutive harvest seasons between 2021 and 2023.
The laboratory led by Professor Luigi Mondello, with the researchers Mariosimone Zoccali, Alessia Arena, Antonio Ferracane and Danilo Donnarumma, put under the lens Samples of both large retailers and small local producers (of which the Marche are not known).
As I said Zoccali to the life preserver:
We monitored 50 samples of extra virgin olive oil, including 23 Italians and 27 Europeans. We selected them to guarantee a representativeness of European production, covering three vintages: 2021, 2022 and 2023.
The results are clear: 21 out of 50 had at least one pesticide beyond the maximum limits of residues (LMR) provided for by the EU legislation.
To better understand what it means, it is important to explain what the Maximum levels of residues (LMR). These limits have been set by the European Union to protect the health of consumers, defining the maximum quantity of pesticide residues admitted to food and feed of vegetable and animal origin. LMRs are not the same for all pesticides and may vary depending on the type of food in which they are.
The heart of the project was the development of An avant -garde analytical method for monitoring 260 pesticidesexpanding by 75 molecules the minimum number of substances that the EU legislation requires to control. To do this, the researchers have combined liquid high -performance liquid chromatography and gaseous techniques, By minimizing the use of chemical solvents and making the procedure faster, safe and sustainable even for those who work in the laboratory.
The use of pesticides is a widespread practice in the cultivation of the olive tree, useful for contrasting diseases and parasites. And, given that extra virgin olive oil is obtained through mechanical extraction without refining processes, it is more exposed to the risk that chemical residues persist in the final product. In addition, the prolonged and often indiscriminate use of phytopharmacies has contaminated soil and waters over time, increasing the risk of indirect contaminations.
The results of this new study seem to confirm that the presence of pesticides residues, often beyond the allowed limits, is not an isolated case, but a rather common problem in the production of extra virgin olive oil in Europe. Of course, further investigations will be needed to better evaluate its real scope.
What risks for consumers?
To evaluate the real impact on consumers, the researchers were based on Residual Pesticide Intake Model (first) of the EFSA, which estimates chronic and acute food exposure starting from the average consumption and the levels of contamination found.
The data collected highlight a not negligible risk, especially for the little ones. Two pesticides in particular – The cipermedrina and the sum of Endosulfan and Endosulfan sulfate – showed a chronic level of exposure greater than 100% of the acceptable daily dose (DGA) in children. A signal of potential long -term risk.
The acute exposure has exceeded the security threshold only for the cipermetrina, always in the childish population, in particular for Italian and Spanish children, which consume more extra virgin olive oil than other European countries. For all other population groups – adults, elderly, pregnant and breastfeeding women – the levels detected have not aroused concerns.
What about organic oil?
There is an important positive data that emerges from the study and is linked to organic agriculture. On 6 samples of Italian organic oil, nobody showed traces of detectable pesticides. A encouraging signal that demonstrates the importance of supporting agricultural practices more respectful of the environment and consumer health.
The study of the University of Messina highlights the urgency to enhance the monitoring of pesticides residues throughout the entire extra virgin olive oil supply chain, especially to protect the most vulnerable consumers such as children.
The results obviously do not want to demonize an excellent product such as extra virgin olive oil but undoubtedly invite more responsible use of phytoopharmacies and more stringent checks.
Waiting for more rigorous rules and a transition to finally more sustainable agricultural practices, the best advice remain: Always read labels and privilege local and biological producerssimple strategies that can really make the difference.
