Every time pesticide residue scandals occur and these are identified by European countries. A media frenzy is created, a fog of information is thrown in front of our citizens. It becomes news for three days, ignorant people are asked to give advice on food safety. Pseudo-experts are called to the studio who have no idea what pesticides are or how they degrade.
Written by: Prof.Dr.Sc. Mufail Salihaj
I could not remain silent before this news about the Albanian Manadarinas, because throughout my almost 40-year career in this field, I have tried to give my contribution with advice in the field, in addition to my regular engagements at the University level.
It is not the first time that food products that endanger food safety are caught on the European market, whether they originate from Albania or other products that enter Kosovo and we never manage to identify them, but when exporters are sanctioned, we realize that we have now consumed hundreds of tons of that product. This has happened dozens of times during these 25 years in Kosovo.
As an expert in this field, someone who has a doctorate in Pesticide Residues in Fruit, I find it difficult to understand the advice of pseudo-experts, unprofessional portals that operate in our media market, when they suggest that: just wash the fruit with baking soda and the pesticides will be removed!
I tell you with full Academic responsibility as a Prof. Dr. of the subjects of Phytopharmacy, Phytopathology, Plant Protection and as a person who has published dozens of scientific papers, all in the field of pesticide use and food safety, (see Google Scholar, Scopus Ebsco and other world scientific platforms, these advices that our media and their ''Experts'' give have no scientific basis.
Pesticides (Fungicides and Insecticides, also herbicides) when used on fruits, in all plants, through the physiological processes of the plant, are absorbed into every cell of the leaf and fruit. When fungicides enter the cell sap, the only force of degradation is the process of Photolysis that takes place under the influence of sunlight when the fruit is still on the branch (not harvested). After harvesting, this process stops, as does the synthesis of sugars, vitamins and minerals. Therefore, even if we keep the fruit in water all day, we will never be able to remove the accumulated pesticide from the cell sap, because if the pesticides are removed by staying in the water, then other nutrients that the fruit possesses will also be removed.
Why and when do pesticides exceed MRL values? ?
When the pesticide withdrawal period is not respected, when the dosage is exceeded, when the pesticide composition does not match the declaration, when the pesticides come from the Asian market, China, India, etc. From countries that do not have European standards and MRL reference values for each pesticide.
How do Kosovo and Albania stand in this regard? ?
Both are scandalous, while Albania also produces for import and the shame goes to the exporting countries. Poor Kosovo produces so little that no one deals with pesticide residues, because our farmer sprays today, harvests tomorrow and throws it directly on the market, so we never know how many pesticides we consume. Because the institution that is authorized to do these analyzes is incompetent. Forget the demagogic statements of the AUV where after the scandal breaks out they come out in the media with empty statements. This agency has never been up to the task of coming before the citizens with concrete laboratory results on the level of food safety in the Republic of Kosovo. This institution has served to make money for militants, to appoint chief executives for political calculations without merit.
Our politicians don't care even when they eat bread with additives that exceed the permissible limits many times over, or when they consume tangerines with pesticide residues (they have money, they get well abroad). What's important to them is to fill the institutions with militants and servile people who care about the people.
Today, pesticides are imported into our market from China, repackaged, and their destination changed. There is only one country in the world that imports them as fungicides from China and repackages and sells them as BIOCIDs. This only happens in Kosovo, all legally, because the pesticide market chain from licensing, import, packaging, and repackaging is corrupt to the core.
The range of pesticides imported into Kosovo today does not match the requirements and pathologies of the plants that need to be treated; there is a competition between importers who dictate the assortment of pesticides.
Take the statistics and see how much Total Herbicide – Glyphosate is sold in Kosovo, being imported from China and repackaged here. This herbicide is sold everywhere in Europe with a prescription and special permit, because its impact on the pollution of the environment and surface and groundwater is terrible, it does not degrade for decades.
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