Metabolites of DDT were found in dill from both ICA and Coop. DDT has been banned as a plant protection product in Sweden and the EU for several decades.
– Since only metabolites were detected, this suggests that the residues originate from contaminated soil or similar environmental sources. If the parent compound DDT had also been found, illegal use could have been suspected, says Anneli Widenfalk, risk assessor and toxicologist at the Swedish Food Agency.
Another sample, Spanish-grown dill from Grönsaksmästarna, contained penconazole at levels of approximately 1.25 mg/kg – more than 60 times higher than the permitted limit of 0.02 mg/kg.
– The substance has low acute toxicity, and no negative health effects are expected at the detected level. However, the sample does not comply with EU regulations and should not be on the market, Widenfalk explains.
The Swedish-grown herbs were largely free from pesticide residues. All imported herbs, however, contained several different substances – in some cases up to 15 – which raises questions despite levels being below the legal limits.
– All Swedish products were free from measurable residues, with the exception of potted thyme from Kabbarps Trädgård. This sample contained residues of the biopesticide azadirachtin, which is approved for organic farming, says Pasi Tuomikoski, food chemist at MeasurLabs in Finland.