Effect of wheat species (Triticum aestivum vs T. spelta), farming system (organic vs conventional) and flour type (wholegrain vs white) on composition of wheat flour - Results of a retail survey in the UK and Germany - 3. Pesticide residue content (2020)
2020
Wang, Juan | Hasanaliyeva, Gultakin | Wood, Liza | Anagnostopoulos, Christos | Ampadogiannis, Georgios | Bempelou, Eleftheria | Kiousi, Maroula | Markellou, Emilia | Iversen, Per Ole | Seal, Chris | Baranski, Marcin | Vigar, Vanessa | Leifert, Carlo | Rempelos, Leonidas
Wheat is a major component of the Northern European diet and contributes significantly to dietary pesticide exposure. Here we report results of a 2-year retail survey, which compared pesticide residues in organic and conventional, whole-grain and white, common and Spelt wheat flour brands available in the UK and Germany. Pesticide residues were detected significantly more frequently in conventional (87%) than organic (25%) flour samples. Chlormequat, a plant growth regulator, was the most frequently detected compound. Total concentrations of pesticide residues were (a) ~4 times higher in conventional than organic, (b) ~100% higher in common than Spelt wheat flour and (c) ~110% higher in conventional whole-grain than white flour samples, but (d) not significantly different in organic whole-grain and white flour. Results suggest that the use of organic wheat products allows increased whole-grain cereal consumption in line with nutritional recommendations, without an increase in dietary pesticide intake.
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