German authorities have withdrawn a consignment of peppers from Morocco from the market because they had excessive pesticide residues. The peppers reached the German market via Spanish operators. According to official documents consulted by Hortoinfo on March 21, 2025, the pesticide identified is abamectin.
Abamectin is an insecticide, acaricide, and anthelmintic that affects the nervous system of insects, causing their death. It acts mainly by ingestion, but also by contact, and has a slow action with long residual life in mites. Exposure to this compound can cause symptoms such as nervous system depression, pupil dilation, vomiting, excitement, incoordination, tremors, lethargy, coma, and, in high doses, death by respiratory arrest. It is a dangerous poison when swallowed or inhaled and also harmful when in contact with the skin.
A control carried out at the company importing the Moroccan peppers showed that the peppers had abamectin levels that ranged between 0,12 mg/kg and 0,29 mg/kg, exceeding the 0,03 mg/kg maximum residue limit (MRL) allowed. The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) classified the detection of this pesticide in peppers as a serious concern.
Source: hortoinfo.es