A potential threat to black figs intended for export from Turkey: Ethephon

Abstract

The analysis of highly polar pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables has become a controversial issue in the last decade. This report shows the results of highly polar pesticide residues (ethephon, fosetyl aluminium (fosetyl-Al) and phosphonic acid) monitoring on black figs intended for export from Turkey. From 2017-2020, a total of 9237 black fig samples were analysed for ethephon, fosetyl-Al and phosphonic acid residues using the Quick Polar Pesticides (QuPPe) method. The method has shown to have sufficiently low limits of quantification with respect to EU Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). The obtained recovery and precision parameters fulfil the requirements in SANTE/11813/2017 Guideline. The 16.8 % of black fig samples were detected with ethephon at quantifiable concentrations but below the EU MRL of 3 mg kg- 1. The concentration of ethephon ranged between 0.005 and 2.47 mg kg- 1. However, no quantifiable residues of fosetyl-Al and phosphonic acid were detected in any black fig samples.