German retailers in pesticide pledge
Retailers have joined with the German Trade Association to increase the monitoring of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables
A number of leading German retailers have teamed with the Trade Association of Germany to launch a project that will see increased monitoring of pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables.
Reports in the German press this week have suggested that the likes of Edeka, Globe, Kaiser's Tengelmann, Metro, Rewe and Tegut will be part of the joint residue-monitoring programme, according to foodbizdaily.
"Better data follows a uniform risk analysis and assessment," said the German Trade Association's deputy chief executive Stephan Tromp.
"The common residue monitoring is intended to verify compliance with the permissible maximum residue limits of pesticides in the production of fruit and vegetables," he added. "It helps to detect failures in the use of pesticides more quickly, and to improve the long-term quality of fruits and vegetables."
Mr Tromp added that, at present, there remained "hundreds of harmful agents" that were still being used in fresh fruit and vegetable production in Germany and across the world.
