NATO Programme Science for Peace
Project No SfP 977983

Title: Minimization of pesticide residues in processed products and the environment

Project Director: Prof. Anna Balinova D.Sc., Plant Protection Institute

Participants: Ph.D. Rositsa Mladenova, M. Sc. Deyana Shtereva, Plant Protection Institute

Duration: February2003- June 2006

The project is aimed to contribute to the development of a scientific base for minimization of pesticide residues in food, with a special emphasis to products for infants and small children. In certain cases the dietary intake of pesticides is underestimated by the model for human exposure, due to the fact that the effects of various processes are not considered. Food processing studies are essential for the purpose of refining dietary intake estimates of pesticides. This information is necessary for reaching a conclusion on the acceptability of proposed MRLs and GAPs from a point of view of babies and children safety.

A crucial element of the study on the pesticide residue levels in baby food is the availability of sensitive and reliable analytical methods, that can be used to reinforce the Directive. An important part of the work on the Project is directed at modification of the existing methods or development of new methods distinguished by sufficient precision and reliability of determination of residues at or below the concentration level of 0.01 mg/kg.

The main objectives of the project are:

• to study the fate of selected pesticides (applied either pre- or post-harvest) during processing procedures of commodities with great economic importance for each country, with special emphasis on products used to prepare baby foods;
• to establish the residue balance (residues in raw materials, intermediate and final products) and to calculate processing factors and transfer factors for nationally important combinations pesticide/commodity;
• to identify the critical points in the technological processes;
• to contribute to refinement of risk assessment and risk management of the pesticide residues and estimation of their possible adverse effects on consumers, and especially on infants and children;
• to improve existing analytical methods or to develop new methods in order to achieve levels of quantification below the MRL of 0.01 mg/kg for individual pesticides in baby foods.