Extent and Nature of Pesticide Residues in Selected Fruits and Vegetables in Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

Food safety is a global challenge with chemical residues in foods causing harm to consumers. In particular, pesticide residues in food value chains is one of the leading causes of toxicities and a major cause of human diseases globally. The increasing demand for fruits and vegetables due to rapid population growth has driven growers to enhance pesticide use to boost crop production. This study was conducted to assess the extent of pesticide residues in selected fruits and vegetables commonly sold at wholesale markets in the Lahore region, the second largest city in Pakistan. The concentrations of six commonly used pesticide residues were determined using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with a mass Photodiode Array Detector (PDA), in selected fruits (Citrus, Guava, and Apple) and vegetables (Okra, Brinjal, Spinach, Cabbage, and Cauliflower). During survey, a total of 120 samples were collected and analyzed for three commonly used pesticides (Bifenthrin, Imidacloprid, and Chlorpyrifos) residues. The results of this study revealed that nearly all samples were contaminated with pesticide residues. Among the fruits, 67% of samples and 40% of vegetable samples contained pesticide residues exceeding the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs), while 33% of fruit samples and 60% of vegetable samples had pesticide residues below the MRLs. This study highlights the significant risk and threat to health posed by the accumulation of these poisonous substances in our daily food.