Food News

French authorities have withdrawn avocados from Spain from the market. The reason: elevated lead levels. 

An inspection of the import company led to the discovery of lead in Spanish avocados. This is evident from the documents reviewed. The analysis revealed a lead content of 0.39 mg/kg, which is almost four times the permitted limit. This incident was classified as serious by the EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). Consequently, the distribution of this batch of avocados was prohibited. The most common cause of lead contamination in fruit and vegetables is irrigation with water that is contaminated with industrial waste or inadequately treated. Plants can also absorb lead into their fruit via unsuitable fertilisers containing this heavy metal.

YOUR PLUS: When it comes to residue analysis of plant-based foods, people usually only think of pesticide residues. As this example shows, regular checks for heavy metals and nitrate should not be overlooked. Our specialists can assist you with individual risk assessments for specific fruit and vegetable crops.

Author: Dr Frank Mörsberger, AGROLAB GROUP