PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTS IN AZERBAIJAN

The industrialization of the agricultural sector has increased the chemical burden on natural ecosystems. Pesticides are agrochemicals used in agricultural lands, public health programs and urban greenery to protect plants and people from various diseases. However, due to their ability to cause a large number of adverse health and environmental impacts, their side effects can be an important environmental health risk factor. Exposure to pesticides can occur through skin contact, ingestion or inhalation. The type of pesticide, duration of exposure, and individual health status (e.g., malnutrition and healthy / damaged skin) are factors that determine possible health outcomes. Pesticide residues are chemicals used to control pests in arable land, measured at ppm (mg / kg) or ppb (µg / kg). The report was conducted as a result of the analysis carried out in the National Reference Laboratory of the Azerbaijan Institute of Food Safety in the first half of 2021 (January-June) to determine pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables and the final report was prepared. 931 samples were analyzed, pesticide residues were found in 24 (2.6%) samples. The pesticide residues belonging to different chemical groups were analyzed in different types of fruits (apple, orange, kiwi, lemon, grapefruit, banana, mandarin, pear, quince, pomegranate, strawberry, cherry, apricot, etc.) and vegetables (front, cucumber, tomato, potato, garlic, eggplant, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, etc.). The amount of pesticide residues in the products was found in tomatoes - 2.17%, bananas - 18.1%, diospyros - 14.3%, apples - 3.70%. Pesticide residues found in tomatoes ranged from 0.361 mg / kg to 0.552 mg / kg in Acetamipride, from 0.062 mg / kg to 0.222 mg / kg in Fludioxonil, and from 0.044 mg / kg to 0.023 mg / kg in Dimethoate / Omethoate in apples. Imazalile was found in the amount of 0.019 mg/kg in a banana sample that entered the country during the import process. Fenpyroximate was found in the range of 0.018 mg / kg to 0.796 mg / kg in diospyros samples sent by the government agency.