Pesticide residues 500 times higher than normal detected in thyme sent from Israel to Belgium
The European Union's food safety system has reported that various pesticide residues at levels more than 500 times higher than normal were detected in thyme sent from Israel to Belgium.
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According to data from the European Union's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), high levels of 7 different types of pesticide residues were identified in thyme imported by Belgium from Israel, which was planned to be distributed to other EU countries.
The Israeli thyme was found to contain 550 times the EU-permitted limit of chlorfenapyr, 500 times the limit of chlorothalonil, 330 times the limit of bromopropylate, 230 times the limit of dinotefuran, 34 times the limit of imidacloprid, 22 times the limit of bifenthrin, and 21 times the limit of cyflumetofen.
In particular, chlorfenapyr and dinotefuran are classified as banned substances.
While an alert was issued to the competent EU authorities due to the risk, Belgium has increased its inspections of products imported from Israel.
The EU established the RASFF to ensure the safety of imported food products. This system aims to share information regarding measures taken against risks identified in food imported into the EU.