Unregistered pesticides used in Osaka Port silo; Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Osaka Prefecture conduct on-site inspection

On the 10th, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Osaka Prefecture conducted an on-site inspection of a silo at Osaka Port (Osaka City) where wheat is stored, on suspicion of violating the Pesticide Control Law, as commercially available pesticides that are not approved for use on grain were being used. The government will provide necessary guidance after examining the facts.

According to Osaka City's third sector ``Osaka Port Futo Terminal,'' which manages the silo, the incident was discovered in August of this year after receiving information from an outside party. According to the Agricultural Chemicals Control Law, only registered pesticides can be used inside the silo, but they reportedly sprayed a commercially available fuming pesticide containing permethrin, an unregistered pesticide.

This year's shipments will be collected before distribution

At least 39 tons of wheat treated with pesticides were shipped this year, but all of the wheat was recalled before it could be distributed as food.

However, the company says it is possible that the same insecticide was used in the silo from 2022 to 2025, and the company is currently investigating. There have been no reports of any health damage so far.

According to the company, the maximum residual concentration of permethrin detected in a sample survey conducted after the discovery was 3.2 ppm, which exceeds the standard value (2 ppm) set by the Food Sanitation Act. The company explains, ``Even if you continue to take it for a lifetime, there is a very low possibility that it will have any negative effects on your health.''

The total capacity of wheat stored in the company's silos is 56,735 tons. It has a track record of handling approximately 130,000 tons annually.