Nearly all food products tested in September were within legal pesticide limits, according to a monthly report released by Greece’s Ministry of Rural Development and Food.

In the September report, the ministry’s Plant Protection Directorate found that 97% of 313 samples of plant-based foods complied with the maximum residue limits (MRLs) set by EU regulations. The tests were conducted on 58% domestic and 42% imported products, checked through both border and market controls.

Only 3% of samples exceeded MRLs, with seven considered potentially hazardous. The products that exceeded pesticide limits included table grapes (four of 22 samples), wine grapes (one of 31), peppers (one of 26), limes (one of three), and mangoes (one of five).

An unapproved pesticide substance, quinoxyfen, was detected in a sample of wine grapes at a sorting facility. Following the findings, Greek authorities issued three notifications to the EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) concerning mangoes from Egypt, limes from Brazil, and tomatoes from Turkey.

For domestic incidents, the ministry said follow-up inspections and corrective actions would be initiated.

“The data confirms that the vast majority of products reaching consumers meet strict European limits,” said Spyros Protopsaltis, Secretary General of Rural Development and Food. “With targeted, documented controls throughout the chain, from border to shelf, and immediate action when violations occur, we ensure a high level of public health protection and fair competition for producers.”

In its statement, the ministry noted that exceeding an MRL does not necessarily means there is a health risk but it does triggers further assessment and corrective measures.

It is reminded that earlier this year, a Reuters investigation revealed that Greece was both a major user of illegal pesticides and a key smuggling hub for banned agrochemicals entering the European Union.