Grapefruits from South Africa
How often official samples of grapefruits grown in South Africa break the EU maximum residue level for pesticides, by why the sample was taken.
Across 133 random market samples taken by 6 EU countries, 4.5% were above the limit (95% interval 2.1%–9.5%). The substance found above the limit most often was glufosinate (5 samples). UK supermarkets: 152 samples since 2021, 6 above the UK limit.
4.5%
Random market samples over the limit
133 samples, 2020–2024
152
UK supermarket samples
6 over the UK limit
Substances found above the limit
| Substance | Where found | Samples |
|---|---|---|
| Glufosinate | random samples | 5 |
| Buprofezin | random samples | 1 |
The limit applied is the one the lab reported at the time of sampling. Limits change; check the current value in the EU Pesticides Database.
Random market samples
6 of 133 random samples were above the limit: 4.5% (95% interval 2.1%–9.5%). Samples taken by BE, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, pooled.
Also on file, never turned into a rate because inspectors chose them: 50 risk-based and 0 follow-up samples.
UK supermarket samples
| Month | Retailer | Residues found (mg/kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | Lidl | 2-phenylphenol 1.8 (MRL = 10); imazalil 0.43 (MRL = 4); pyridaben 0.12 (MRL = 0.5); pyrimethanil 0.012 (MRL = 8); pyriproxifen 0.014 (MRL = 0.7) |
| 2024-11 | Lidl | azoxystrobin 0.01 (MRL = 15); imazalil 1.4 (MRL = 4); pyraclostrobin 0.01 (MRL = 2); pyrimethanil 0.29 (MRL = 8); thiabendazole 0.4 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-11 | Other shops | imazalil 0.1 (MRL = 4); thiabendazole 0.05 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-11 | Marks & Spencer | 2,4-D (sum) 0.1 (MRL = 1); azoxystrobin 0.01 (MRL = 15); imazalil 1.5 (MRL = 4); pyrimethanil 0.7 (MRL = 8); thiabendazole 0.08 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-11 | Morrisons | thiabendazole 0.7 (MRL = 7); pyrimethanil 0.1 (MRL = 8); pyraclostrobin 0.01 (MRL = 2); imazalil 0.8 (MRL = 4); azoxystrobin 0.02 (MRL = 15) |
| 2024-11 | Morrisons | buprofezin 0.01 (MRL = 0.01*); methoxyfenozide 0.04 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.05 (MRL = 2) |
| 2024-11 | Sainsbury's | imazalil 1.2 (MRL = 4); pyriproxifen 0.04 (MRL = 0.6); thiabendazole 1 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-11 | Waitrose | thiabendazole 0.4 (MRL = 7); pyrimethanil 0.1 (MRL = 8); pyraclostrobin 0.01 (MRL = 2); imazalil 1.7 (MRL = 4) |
| 2024-11 | Waitrose | azoxystrobin 0.01 (MRL = 15); 2,4-D (sum) 0.03 (MRL = 1); pyraclostrobin 0.02 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 0.5 (MRL = 7); imazalil 1.7 (MRL = 4); pyrimethanil 0.2 (MRL = 8) |
| 2024-10 | Waitrose | dithiocarbamates 0.1 (MRL = 5); imazalil 1.7 (MRL = 4); pyraclostrobin 0.03 (MRL = 2); pyriproxifen 0.01 (MRL = 0.6); thiabendazole 0.3 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-10 | Aldi | Fosetyl-Al (sum) 3.6 (MRL = 75); imazalil 1.9 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.03 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.01 (MRL = 2); pyrimethanil 0.3 (MRL = 8); thiabendazole 1 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-10 | Morrisons | dithiocarbamates 0.1 (MRL = 5); imazalil 1.5 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.03 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.02 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 1 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-10 | Sainsbury's | dithiocarbamates 0.06 (MRL = 5); imazalil 1 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.03 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.04 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 0.3 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-10 | Sainsbury's | dithiocarbamates 0.1 (MRL = 5); imazalil 1 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.04 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.07 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 0.1 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-10 | Tesco | dithiocarbamates 0.3 (MRL = 5); imazalil 0.9 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.03 (MRL = 2); pyrimethanil 0.8 (MRL = 8); thiabendazole 0.03 (MRL = 7); trifloxystrobin 0.01 (MRL = 0.5) |
| 2024-10 | Tesco | dithiocarbamates 0.3 (MRL = 5); imazalil 0.7 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.05 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.02 (MRL = 2); pyrimethanil 0.1 (MRL = 8); thiabendazole 0.5 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-10 | Other shops | Fosetyl-Al (sum) 3.6 (MRL = 75); imazalil 0.5 (MRL = 4); pyraclostrobin 0.06 (MRL = 2); pyriproxifen 0.01 (MRL = 0.6); thiabendazole 0.7 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-10 | Other shops | dithiocarbamates 0.1 (MRL = 5); imazalil 1.5 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.05 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 1.4 (MRL = 7); trifloxystrobin 0.01 (MRL = 0.5) |
| 2024-10 | Lidl | fludioxonil 0.12 (MRL = 10); imazalil 0.73 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.03 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.021 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 0.4 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-10 | Asda | 2-phenylphenol 0.015 (MRL = 10); azoxystrobin 0.88 (MRL = 15); fludioxonil 1.5 (MRL = 10); Fosetyl-Al (sum) 0.28 (MRL = 75); imidacloprid 0.026 (MRL = 0.9); pyrimethanil 1.8 (MRL = 8); thiabendazole 1.2 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-09 | Other shops | buprofezin 0.02 (MRL = 0.01*); dithiocarbamates 0.1 (MRL = 5); methoxyfenozide 0.1 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.07 (MRL = 2); pyrimethanil 0.01 (MRL = 8); thiabendazole 0.8 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-09 | Other shops | dithiocarbamates 0.08 (MRL = 5); imazalil 1 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.07 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.03 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 0.7 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-09 | Asda | dithiocarbamates 0.06 (MRL = 5); imazalil 0.5 (MRL = 4); pyraclostrobin 0.09 (MRL = 2); pyrimethanil 6.2 (MRL = 8); pyriproxifen 0.02 (MRL = 0.6); thiabendazole 1.9 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-09 | Sainsbury's | dithiocarbamates 0.1 (MRL = 5); imazalil 2.4 (MRL = 4); pyraclostrobin 0.07 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 1 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-09 | Aldi | dithiocarbamates 0.08 (MRL = 5); imazalil 0.08 (MRL = 4); pyraclostrobin 0.01 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 0.02 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-09 | Sainsbury's | dithiocarbamates 0.09 (MRL = 5); imazalil 2.2 (MRL = 4); pyraclostrobin 0.05 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 0.7 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-09 | Tesco | imazalil 1.3 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.03 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.05 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 0.5 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-09 | Tesco | dithiocarbamates 0.08 (MRL = 5); imazalil 2.8 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.03 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.01 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 1.8 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-08 | Tesco | 2,4-D (sum) 0.09 (MRL = 1); azoxystrobin 0.02 (MRL = 15); imazalil 1.4 (MRL = 4); thiabendazole 1.1 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-08 | Asda | imazalil 1.3 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.04 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.05 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 0.4 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-08 | Lidl | dithiocarbamates 0.05 (MRL = 5); imazalil 1.2 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.03 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.05 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 1.2 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-08 | Morrisons | buprofezin 0.01 (MRL = 0.01*); dithiocarbamates 0.05 (MRL = 5); glufosinate (sum) 0.1 (MRL = 0.05); imazalil 0.02 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.08 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.1 (MRL = 2) over UK limit |
| 2024-08 | Sainsbury's | imazalil 2.2 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.03 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.04 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 0.6 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-08 | Tesco | glufosinate (sum) 0.2 (MRL = 0.05); imazalil 0.01 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.02 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.05 (MRL = 2) over UK limit |
| 2024-08 | Tesco | azoxystrobin 0.7 (MRL = 15); fludioxonil 1.7 (MRL = 10); Fosetyl-Al (sum) 2.4 (MRL = 75); pyrimethanil 1.6 (MRL = 8); thiabendazole 1.2 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-08 | Dunnes Stores | imazalil 3.2 (MRL = 4); pyraclostrobin 0.03 (MRL = 2); pyrimethanil 0.01 (MRL = 8); thiabendazole 0.1 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-08 | Other shops | dithiocarbamates 0.1 (MRL = 5); imazalil 1.6 (MRL = 4); methoxyfenozide 0.1 (MRL = 2); pyraclostrobin 0.05 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 1.3 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-08 | Other shops | dithiocarbamates 0.1 (MRL = 5); imazalil 1.1 (MRL = 4); thiabendazole 1 (MRL = 7); trifloxystrobin 0.04 (MRL = 0.5) |
| 2024-08 | Morrisons | dithiocarbamates 0.2 (MRL = 5); imazalil 0.6 (MRL = 4); pyraclostrobin 0.06 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 0.02 (MRL = 7) |
| 2024-08 | Tesco | pyraclostrobin 0.02 (MRL = 2); thiabendazole 0.5 (MRL = 7); imazalil 2.3 (MRL = 4) |
Defra's Pesticide Residues in Food programme. UK limits mirror the EU's as retained in 2021 and may since differ. Showing the latest 40 of 152.
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Exporter residue report: South Africa
Every product from South Africa ranked by EU border-check and market findings, the substances behind them, and the check frequencies coming into force. Sign up and we email you once when it is ready.
Data
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