UK pesticide residue monitoring, Q1 2026: maximum residue levels exceeded in 49 of 662 samples from Great Britain and in 5 of 125 samples from Northern Ireland
On 27 August 2026 the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published the results of pesticide residue monitoring in food for the first quarter of 2026. The programme covers up to 428 pesticides; in Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) 662 samples of 23 foods were tested, and in Northern Ireland 125 samples of 14 foods.
- Of the samples from Great Britain, 318 contained residues and 49 exceeded the maximum residue level (MRL); in Northern Ireland 56 samples contained residues and 5 exceeded the MRL. Samples were collected from the beginning of January to the end of March 2026 and tested by four laboratories; samples from Great Britain are assessed against the GB MRL statutory register and those from Northern Ireland against EU MRLs (under the Windsor Framework).
- Only a small minority of the residues found needed a more detailed short-term risk assessment. HSE found undesirable exposure in one sample of brown (dried) beans with lambda-cyhalothrin above the MRL and other pesticides assessed together; in the other cases health effects were considered unlikely. Copper above the MRL was present in all GB liver samples — according to HSE’s long-term assessment, effects on health are not expected.
- The possible genotoxic effects of dichlorvos, chlorpyrifos and carbofuran, found in a total of 8 samples of dried beans, dried grapes, oranges, rice and spring onions, were assessed separately. The GB MRL exceedance tables cover, among others, dried beans, beans with pods, carrots, dried grapes, bovine liver, oranges, parsnips, pears, rice and spring onions, and the NI tables cherries, lamb and parsnips.
- According to the programme methodology, HSE highlights in the brand name annex results that are clearly above the MRL after taking into account a measurement uncertainty of ±50%, applying the uncertainty to the value reported by the laboratory before rounding. HSE’s example: with results of 0.023 and 0.025 mg/kg (mean 0.024 mg/kg) and an MRL of 0.01 mg/kg, the lower bound of 0.012 mg/kg is still above the MRL, so the sample is treated as an exceedance — whereas after rounding to 0.02 mg/kg the lower bound would fall at the MRL.