Pesticides found in grapes according to Råd & Rön

According to a test by Råd & Rön, common grapes in grocery stores contain pesticide residues. In addition, an unauthorized substance was found that cannot be used in a store's organic label.

Anneli Widenfalk, risk assessor at the Swedish Food Agency, believes that consumers do not need to feel worried even if pesticide residues can occur in various foods.

- The limit values ​​have been lowered in recent years and many of the substances that posed greater health risks may no longer be used, she says.

- Even when you look at all the different pesticide residues you can ingest, there is nothing to indicate that there would be a health risk for consumers, says Anneli Widenfalk.

Even if you are careful and rinse fruit and vegetables, you cannot be sure that pesticide residues will disappear. It depends on whether they are water soluble or not.

- But it is always good to rinse fruit and vegetables because there may be other things on them as well. Microorganisms or things that make you sick, advises Anneli Widenfalk.

At the same time, she notes that the limit values, which are determined at EU level, are set so that you don't really have to rinse or peel.

It is the producers or those who will sell food on the market who are responsible for ensuring that the rules are followed. The authorities then carry out random checks, which takes place in all EU countries.

- There is a special control program that is harmonized where you go through and sample certain crops with a three-year rolling schedule, says Anneli Widenfalk.

Random samples are often made at wholesalers.

- If you were to find something, you can in most cases stop it before it hits the stores, explains Anneli Widenfalk.

For food from countries outside the EU, there is legislation on taking samples from the batches.

- There is also increased control for certain crops and certain countries where problems have been seen before, says Anneli Widenfalk.

Of samples taken by the Swedish Food Agency, 2–3 percent have levels above the limit value. For the entire EU, the figure is around 1 percent.