Oranges contaminated with pesticide banned from Spanish market

The EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (Rasff) has issued a serious warning about oranges from Egypt destined for the Spanish market. This warning was issued after finding residues of chlorpyrifos, a pesticide banned by the European Commission since 2020 due to its health risks.

 

Analyses detected a concentration of 0.086 mg/kg-ppm of chlorpyrifos in the oranges, exceeding the maximum permitted limit of 0.01 mg/kg-ppm. Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide used to control various pests, exposure to which can severely damage the nervous system and is especially dangerous for children. Symptoms of exposure include blurred vision, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, convulsions, lack of coordination, chest tightness and, in extreme cases, paralysis.

 

In view of this situation, the Rasff recommends the public to be extremely cautious when buying fruit from Egypt and to avoid consuming oranges affected by this contamination. It is crucial to follow these instructions to protect your health and prevent possible poisoning.