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In this study, field trials on fine and coarse spray quality application of pesticides on apples were performed. The main objectives were to study the variation of pesticide residue levels in individual fruits versus composite samples, and the effect of standard fine spray quality application versus coarse spray quality application on residue levels. The applications included boscalid, bupirimate, captan, fenoxycarb, indoxacarb, pirimicarb, pyraclostrobin and thiophanate-methyl. Apples were collected from four zones in the tree and pesticide residues were detected in the individual apples. None of the results for the pesticides residues measured in individual apples exceeded the EU Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). However, there was a large variation in the residues levels in the apples, with levels from 0.01 to 1.4 mg kg −1 for captan, the pesticide with the highest variation, and from 0.01 to 0.2 mg kg −1 for pyraclostrobin, the pesticide with the lowest variation. Residues of fenoxycarb and indoxacarb were only found in a few apples, probably due to the early application time of these two compounds. The evaluation of the effect of spray quality did not show any major difference between fine and coarse spray quality, except for carbendazim, the degradation product of thiophanate-methyl, where fine spray quality resulted in higher carbendazim residue levels than coarse spray quality. To examine the relationship between individual results and average results from ten apples, 20 composite samples were statistically constructed from sets of ten of the individual results. The variability factors for the individual samples ( n = 80) at the 97.5 percentile were calculated for both standard and air induction nozzle application and were in the range of 0.9–9.4. The variability factor of seven used when EU member states calculate possible exceeding of Acute Reference Dose (ARfD) was adequate to encompass almost all the average results from the analyses of ten individual apples. However, for captan up to 9% of the results were not covered depending on which of the mathematically constructed composite concentrations was chosen. The variability factor of three, recommend by Codex, seems to be too low, because up to 30% of the apple samples for captan were not covered if the worst case scenario was chosen. The factor of three seems was also too low for thiophanate-methyl.

The aim of this study was to investigate the amount of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables from South America. A total of 724 samples of 46 different fruits and vegetables from eight South American countries were collected in 2007. In 19% of the samples no residues were found, 72% of samples contained pesticide residues at or below MRL, and 8.4% of samples contained pesticide residues above MRL. Thiabendazole, imazalil and chlorpyrifos were the pesticide most frequently found. Thirty-seven pesticides were found with frequencies higher that 1% in the samples. The results emphasize the need for continuous monitoring of pesticide residues, especially in imported fruits and vegetables.

The differences in residue pattern between Italy and South Africa, the main exporters of table grapes to the Danish market, were investigated. The results showed no major differences with respect to the number of samples with residues, with residues being found in 54-78% of the samples. Exceedances of the European Union maximum residue limit (MRL) were found in five samples from Italy. A number of samples were rinsed to study the possible reduction of residues. For copper, iprodione, procymidone and dithiocarbamates a significant effect of rinsing was found (20-49% reduction of residues). However, no significant effect was found for organophosphorus pesticides and pyrethroids, whereas the number of samples with residues of benzilates, phenylamids and triazoles was insufficient to demonstrate any significant effects. An intake calculation showed that the average intake from Italian grapes was 3.9 microg day(-1) for pesticides and 21 microg day(-1) for copper. Correspondingly, the intakes from South African grapes were 2.6 and 5.7 microg day(-1), respectively. When the total exposure of pesticides from grapes were related to acceptable daily intake, expressed as the sum of Hazard Quotients, the exposure were approximately 0.5% for Italian samples and 1% for South African samples.

An HPLC-MS/MS method for the analysis of three pesticides in strawberries was developed and validated. Recoveries were measured at three spiking levels and ranged from 85 to 99% (mean recoveries). The effects of processing of strawberries ranging from rinsing to jam production were investigated for the three fungicides tolylfluanid, fenhexamid and pyrimethanil, which were applied under field conditions. Kresoxim-methyl was also applied in the field, but was not found in any of the samples investigated. The effect of parameters such as preharvest interval, dose, harvest time and observed pesticide concentration after harvest (initial concentration, mg kg(-1)), were examined with respect to possible reduction of the pesticides. The results from rinsing showed that all three pesticides were reduced on average by 37% for tolylfluanid, by 34% for fenhexamid and by 19% for pyrimethanil. For tolylfluanid and fenhexamid, the initial concentration significantly affected the reduction. For fenhexamid, dose could also have a minor influence on reduction. For pyrimethanil, none of the parameters significantly influenced the reduction. For jam production, cooking significantly reduced tolylfluanid by an average of 91%. For fenhexamid and pyrimethanil, a smaller reduction was seen, 25% and 33%, respectively. The reduction of tolylfluanid and pyrimethanil was affected by the preharvest interval, while fenhexamid was affected by the initial concentration. The unit-to-unit variability of fungicide contents was also investigated and the variability factors for the three fungicides were from 1.9 to 2.8.

An analytical method for separation and quantitative determination of nine dithiocarbamates (DTCs) in fruits and vegetables by using LC-MS/MS was developed, validated and applied to samples purchased in local supermarkets. The nine DTCs were ziram, ferbam, thiram, maneb, zineb, nabam, metiram, mancozeb and propineb. Validation parameters of mean recovery for two matrices at two concentration levels, relative repeatability (RSDr), relative within-laboratory reproducibility (RSDR) and LOD were obtained for the nine DTCs. The results from the analysis of fruits and vegetables served as the basis for an exposure assessment within the given commodities and a risk assessment by comparing the calculated exposure to the acceptable daily intake and acute reference dose for various exposure groups. The analysis indicated positive findings of DTCs in apples, pears, plums, table grapes, papaya and broccoli at concentrations ranging from 0.03 mg/kg to 2.69 mg/kg expressed as the equivalent amount of CS2. None of the values exceeded the Maximum residue level (MRL) set by the European Union, and furthermore, it was not possible to state whether illegal use had taken place or not, because a clear differentiation between the various DTCs in the LC-MS/MS analysis was lacking. The exposure and risk assessment showed that only for maneb in the case of apples and apple juice, the acute reference dose was exceeded for infants in the United Kingdom and for children in Germany, respectively.

A method for the simultaneous determination of 33 pesticides or degradation products together with patulin in apples by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed. The method involved homogenization of the apples, extraction with ammonium acetate-acetic acid solution in methanol-water by ultrasonication, filtration, and determination by LC-MS/MS. The repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility for the three spiking levels 0.02, 0.04 and 0.2 mg kg(-1) were between 4% and 35%. In general, the repeatability and reproducibility were about 10-20%. The limits of quantification (LOQs) were between 0.01 and 0.14 mg kg(-1). The method was used on incurred samples from parts of the ISAFRUIT project financed by the European Commission under the 6th Framework Programme. Samples were analysed at four different stages: after harvest, after storage (controlled), after a water bath, and after 28 days at room temperature. Pesticide residues were found at all stages, but no significant differences in the concentration were seen between the stages analysed. The concentration decreased significantly only for tolylfluanid after storage at room temperature for 28 days when only 0-6% of the original amount of tolylfluanid remained in the apples. No patulin was found in the apples stored for 28 days at room temperature and no growth of Penicillium expansum was observed on these apples. However, when the apples were inoculated with a spore suspension of P. expansum, high concentrations of patulin were found.

Strobilurins are a new class of fungicides that are active against a broad spectrum of fungi. In the present work a GC method for analysis of strobilurin fungicides was validated. The method was based on, extraction with ethyl acetate/cyclohexane, clean-up by gel permeation chromatography, (GPC) and determination of the content by gas chromatography (GC) with electron capture (EC-), nitrogen/phosphorous (NP-), and mass spectrometric (MS-) detection. Three strobilurins, azoxystrobin, kresoxim-methyl and trifloxystrobin were validated on three matrices, wheat, apple and grapes. The validation was based on recovery tests at three or four spiking levels, determined as double determinations and repeated three times (n = 6). The mean recoveries for the three detectors were in the range of 70-114%, and the LODs were between 0.004 mg/kg and 0.014 mg/kg, for all three strobilurins. The values for repeatability and reproducibility were within the limits for repeatability and reproducibility given by the Horwitz equation. Validation was not accepted for azoxystrobin in grapes on all three detectors and for azoxystrobin in apple for the MS-detector. A comparison of matrix-matched standards versus standards in solvent showed varying differences between the two calibration curves.

The estimation of uncertainty of an analytical result has become important in analytical chemistry. It is especially difficult to determine uncertainties for multiresidue methods, e.g. for pesticides in fruit and vegetables, as the varieties of pesticide/commodity combinations are many. In the present study, recommendations from the International Organisation for Standardisation's (ISO) Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty and the EURACHEM/CITAC guide Quantifying Uncertainty in Analytical Measurements were followed to estimate the expanded uncertainties for 153 pesticides in fruit and vegetables. Data from in-house validation were used in the estimation of the uncertainty. No significant difference in the relative standard deviation for reproducibility (RSD(R)) were found between the different concentration levels at concentration levels exceeding 2.5 times the detection limit. Therefore, it was possible to pool the RSD(R) within a single matrix. However, a difference in RSD(R) between matrices was seen, thus the poorest RSD(R) of the investigated matrices was chosen for the uncertainty estimation. The expanded uncertainties ranged from 7 to 78% with an average of 32% and median of 32%. Furthermore, only RSD(R) contributed to the uncertainty estimation.

A proficiency test on incurred and spiked pesticide residues in wheat was organised in 2008. The test material was grown in 2007 and treated in the field with 14 pesticides formulations containing the active substances, alpha-cypermethrin, bifentrin, carbendazim, chlormequat, chlorpyrifos-methyl, difenconazole, epoxiconazole, glyphosate, iprodione, malathion, pirimicarb, prochloraz, spiroxamin and trifloxystrobin. After harvest, the test material was additionally spiked in the laboratory with three pesticides, that where the residues were too low, and axozystrobin. In total, 72 laboratories submitted results and z-scores were calculated for all laboratories and pesticides, except for glyphosate where only five laboratories submitted results and summed weighted z-scores were calculated for the laboratories with a sufficient scope. For several pesticides, the submitted results were strongly depending on the extraction procedure and consequently the assigned values were calculated based on part of the results. Acceptable z-scores were obtained by 56–97% of the participants.