Laboratory advices for crop protection and food safety

Agricultural producers often compete with time and weather to have their vegetables or fruits on the Romanian market as soon as possible. For these are needed balanced fertilization and increased use of safe alternative methods of crop protection against pests and diseases. Products sold early ensure a good price for the producer, and he improves the liquidity of his business and can finance the agricultural work to be carried out for the rest of the year. The independent testing laboratory WESSLING Romania, with almost 2 decades of testing experience, can help you make the strategic decision for healthy crops and quality products.

Improper use of chemical substances (nutrients or pesticides) in agriculture can affect the health of consumers.

Both farmers and landfill managers must manage the use of substances to reduce health or environmental hazards. We recommend to both manufacturers and warehouse managers some measures for safe products:

• Observe the deadlines for use of chemicals (pesticides or fertilizers) before harvest and recommended doses;
• Do not spray pesticides during periods of high winds to minimize their spread to neighboring crops;
• Store chemicals on the farm separately from cereals and seeds;
• Keep seeds for sowing separate from those for marketing to avoid any contamination with pesticides;
• Make sure that the use of fertilizers or biostimulators does not lead to non-compliance with EU-accepted MRLs (eg use of phosphonate-containing products may lead to exceeding the MRL for fosetyl-Al).

It is necessary for both, traders and the processing industry, to perform analyzes to determine the types of pesticides used and the permitted values ​​of pesticides. WESSLING laboratories can help you with a series of services that can prove that the products comply with the legislation in force:

• Accredited screening test of more than 600 pesticide compounds for a wide range of foods;
• Specific examination of certain groups of foods and food raw materials and determination of components (eg glyphosate, ethephon, chlorate / perchlorate, cloemecu / mepiquat, fosetyl AI, etc.) measurable by individual methods;
• Completion of the screening test of fresh fruit and vegetable samples with examination of dithiocarbamates; examination of feed samples (mainly for chlorinated plant protection products and dioxins and PCBs);
• Upon request, we compare the results of the analyzes with the maximum limits allowed in the applicable legislative provisions.

Pesticide tests are performed in matrices such as fruits and vegetables, fresh and frozen mushrooms, as well as by-products (juices, purees).