Overview
The UK government monitors both food produced in the UK and imported food to check for any pesticide residues. The purpose of this surveillance is to ensure that:
- residues do not exceed maximum residue levels (MRLs)
- unexpected residues are not occurring in crops
- dietary intakes remain within acceptable levels for consumers
- any pesticide residues present in food do not pose a risk to consumers
The pesticide residue monitoring programme is conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on behalf of the:
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
- Scottish Government
- Welsh Government
- Northern Ireland Government
How the monitoring programme works
The pesticide residues monitoring programme is carried out to meet statutory requirements in both Great Britain (GB – England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland (NI).
Since the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU), the legal frameworks and reporting arrangements for the monitoring programme differ between GB and NI.
In GB, the monitoring programme is required under assimilated Regulation (EC) 396/2005, which sets out the obligations for sampling, testing and reporting pesticide residues. Under this framework, GB must monitor and test food and drink products (referred to as commodities) for pesticide residues and carry out a series of specific surveys each year as part of the Great Britain control plan (GBCP). The design of these surveys including the commodities selected and the pesticides analysed represent the most important food groups for consumers. The content of the GBCP is agreed by the 3 devolved administrations and Defra.
In NI, the monitoring programme is required under Regulation (EC) 396/2005 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1355. Monitoring is carried out using a programme based on the commodity surveys specified in EU legislation, ensuring continued alignment with EU statutory requirements for residue surveillance. NI must also continue to participate in the EU coordinated control programme, meaning that sampling and reporting must meet EU requirements in addition to UK legislation.
Regulation (EC) 396/2005 (on EUR-Lex website)
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1355 (on EUR-Lex website)
EU coordinated control programme (on European Commission website)
It’s important to note that the monitoring programmes run in both GB and NI are for surveillance and are not enforcement programmes.
Products tested
The annual monitoring programme carried out across the UK tests a wide range of commodities to ensure that all major components of the national diet are sampled, including:
- fruit and vegetables
- animal products
- cereal products
- infant food
- miscellaneous groceries (for example wine, chocolate)
The monitoring programme is risk-based and aims to test food and drinks more likely to contain residues. It’s not designed to provide a perfect representation of pesticide residues found in the diet.
Locations sampled
Samples for the monitoring programme are collected from different locations across the UK, covering 26 cities and towns each year. To ensure broad geographical representation, sampling locations are distributed across all 4 nations of the UK. The sampling locations are distributed across the UK as follows:
- 2 locations in Scotland
- 2 locations in Wales
- 2 locations in each of the 8 government regions of England:
- East of England
- East Midlands
- North East
- North West
- South East
- South West
- West Midlands
- Yorkshire and Humber
- 2 locations in Greater London
- 4 locations in Northern Ireland.
The specific cities and towns sampled changes annually. This ensures that different communities and regions within the UK are represented over time.
Sampling
How samples are collected
Samples are collected from across the supply chain by shoppers from a market research company and inspectors from the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA). These are sourced from locations which include:
- supermarkets
- independent retailers and market stalls
- wholesale markets and distribution centres
- retail distribution depots
- food processing plants
- ports and import points
What to expect if your product is chosen for sampling
If a food or drink product has been collected as part of one of HSE’s surveys, the supplier will be notified at the point of sampling by letter and a completed SIS1 form which will provide the details of the product sampled and the date it was collected.
Example sampling letters and form
The sample will then be sent to the designated laboratory and will be analysed for a wide range of pesticide residues. HSE will publish the results in a future report. Reports will include details of the product, such as the:
- brand name
- supplier
- sampling location
- manufacturer
- packer
Results of the sample analysis will not be shared before official publication unless findings are identified that require further investigation. In such cases, the supplier will be contacted and given the opportunity to review, comment on, and respond to the findings before any information is made public.
Samples that are damaged, spoiled, or otherwise compromised during transit will not be analysed and will not be included in the published report.
Where samples are tested
There are 4 laboratories that are designated to carry out pesticide residue analysis in support of the UK monitoring programme:
- Fera Science Ltd – York, England
- Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) – Edinburgh, Scotland
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) – Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Department for Agriculture Food and the Marine laboratory (DAFM) – Dublin, Republic of Ireland
All results from the analytical testing by the 4 laboratories are submitted to HSE who review and publish the results.
Designation of official laboratories for pesticide residue analysis
Designated official laboratories (OLs) undertake monitoring of pesticide residues in food and feed on behalf of the UK government and the devolved administrations (Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Government) under Article 37 of retained Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls.
It’s the responsibility of the competent authorities to designate OLs. The Secretary of State for Defra, and the ministers of the devolved administrations of Scotland and Wales are the competent authorities responsible for designating OLs to monitor MRLs of pesticides in or on food and feed for GB. In NI, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is the competent authority responsible for designating OLs to monitor MRLs of pesticides in food and feed.
HSE exercises these functions on behalf of the competent authorities for both GB and NI.
Designation of national reference laboratories for pesticide residue analysis
Under Regulation 2017/625 (as assimilated regulation in GB or EU regulation for NI) on official controls, national reference laboratories (NRLs) are designated to support a range of official laboratory functions. For the monitoring programme, separate NRLs are designated for GB and NI as the legal frameworks and reporting arrangements for the monitoring programme differ between GB and NI. This arrangement is in accordance with the Windsor Framework where the functions of NRLs cannot be fulfilled by a GB NRL, but can be fulfilled by NRLs within any EU member state on behalf of NI.
In GB, the NRL is Fera Science Ltd for the following functions:
- cereals and feeding stuff
- fruits and vegetables, including commodities with high water and high acid content
- single residue methods
- food of animal origin and commodities with a high fat content
In NI the NRL is DAFM for the following functions:
- cereals and feeding stuff
- fruits and vegetables, including commodities with high water and high acid content
- single residue methods
Reporting results
HSE publish the results from the monitoring programme on GOV.UK in reports on a quarterly basis. All results are assessed against the relevant maximum residue levels (MRLs) for either GB or NI depending on where the sample was collected. These reports and their datasets summarise:
- the pesticides detected
- any MRL exceedances
- any associated risk assessments
The results in the report are presented separately for GB and NI.
Annually, HSE will publish a report 'UK competent authorities for pesticide residues in food annual reports' on GOV.UK’. The report provides an overview of that year’s monitoring programme, including a summary of the results from samples collected across GB and NI.
In addition to the quarterly reports, HSE also publishes a small number of monthly rolling reports for GB. The rolling reporting focuses on a number of selected commodities from the annual programme that are more likely to contain residues. This allows HSE to follow up on the results and any action to be taken earlier.
All data generated from the rolling reporting programme, along with the data from the quarterly monitoring programme and annual report, is available on data.gov.uk.
Samples with MRL exceedances or risk issues detected
HSE carry out an initial risk assessment of all samples where a pesticide residue is detected. When an MRL exceedance occurs, or when detected residues may present a potential risk to consumers, samples are screened using a risk assessment mechanism.
After screening, any samples where residues exceed the MRL and pose a consumer risk, or where a consumer risk is identified in the absence of an MRL exceedance (for example, genotoxic substances), these are then referred to the FSA. The FSA holds overall responsibility for food safety and will determine whether additional action is needed for example, by issuing an INFOSAN notice and withdrawal of the product from the market.
When a sample has a MRL exceedance, the food business operator is contacted to inform them of the non-compliance, and the commodity is not able to be legally sold on the UK market. HSE will investigate serious breaches of MRLs where there is evidence that pesticides have not been used in accordance with good agricultural practice (GAP).
Samples indicating possible unauthorised pesticide use in the UK
HSE may take enforcement action if evidence from the monitoring programme suggests that pesticides are not being applied correctly on UK produce. For example, if pesticides are applied to the wrong crop, or if a pesticide is applied that is not authorised for use in GB or the EU for NI samples.
More information
Find out about reporting exposure to pesticides
For concerns over food safety, refer to the FSA webpage: Report a food problem.
For concerns regarding non-compliance with the law on pesticides, read our guidance on plant protection products enforcement.
For enquiries regarding the pesticide residue programme, email [email protected]