Some foods sold at Chinese supermarkets such as Yonghui and RT-Mart contain excessive pesticides or veterinary drugs, according to the 5th and 6th food unqualified notice in 2021 issued by China’s Yancheng Market Supervision Bureau.
Among the 8 batches of unqualified foods detected this time, the most problematic is leeks, and 5 batches of them are on the list, including leeks from Yonghui Supermarket Hope Avenue Store, Shugou Supermarket and some restaurants. The reason for the disqualification is that the content of “procymidone, cypermethrin and beta-cypermethrin” is unqualified.
Procymidone is a low-toxic bactericide, which can be used to prevent and treat vegetable gray mold and stem rot. The detection of excessive procymidone in leeks may be due to excessive use of insect pests, or the use of pesticides not within the prescribed safe interval. China’s national food safety standards stipulate that the maximum residue limit of procymidone in leeks is 0.2mg/kg, while the detection value of procymidone in the leeks of the Xiangcun Xiaozao Catering Company in Yancheng City is as high as 4.59mg/kg, exceeding the standard limit 22 Times.
Cypermethrin and beta-cypermethrin are broad-spectrum insecticides, moderately toxic, and irritating to eyes and skin. Large exposures can cause headaches, nausea, shaking hands, convulsions, or coma.
In addition, bullfrogs sold in Yancheng RT-Mart Supermarket were found to contain the banned veterinary drug “nitrofurazone metabolite.”
Nitrofurazone metabolites are synthetic broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs. Studies have shown that it has a certain toxic effect, and long-term consumption of food containing it in large quantities will have a certain impact on human health. China stipulates that it is a banned veterinary drug and shouldn’t be detected in animal food.
Source: Consumer Report Group