Pesticide residues in food: results of monitoring programme
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-20)

Results from the government’s monitoring of pesticide residues in food, reviewed by the Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food (PRiF).

The government monitors home-produced and imported food to check for any pesticide residues. We do this in order to check that:
- no unexpected residues are occurring in crops (this backs up the statutory approvals process for pesticides)
- residues do not exceed the statutory Maximum Residue Level (MRL)
- human dietary intakes of residues in foods are within acceptable levels
The Health and Safety Executive carries out the monitoring, with results reviewed by the Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food (PRiF) (https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/expert-committee-on-pesticide-residues-in-food-prif).

About the monitoring programme

As part of our national pesticides regimes Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) is required to monitor food for pesticide residues and to carry out a number of specific surveys each year. The food surveys and the pesticides tested are agreed jointly by the three devolved administrations. A list of required surveys set by the EU is conducted in Northern Ireland.

Each UK administration also has a national monitoring programme. These programmes ensure that all the major components of the national diet are sampled (milk, bread, potatoes, fruit and vegetables, cereals and related products, and animal products). The programme is not designed to provide a representation of residues in the diet – it is risk-based and looks more at those commodities likely to contain residues.

Samples from retailers (supermarkets, independent shops and market stalls) are bought from across the UK by trained purchasers from a market research company.

The Rural Payment Agency’s Horticultural Marketing Inspectors also collect some of our Great Britain samples from a range of points in the supply chain, such as wholesale markets, retail depots, ports and import points. The samples they will be collecting varies each year depending on foods being surveyed.

Animal and Plant Health Agency’s Plant Health and Seed Inspectors collect samples of potatoes from a range of points in the Great Britain supply chain including potato merchants, processors (such as crisp and frozen chip factories) and ports.

We test for a range of pesticides in the following food groups:
- fruit and vegetables
- animal products
- cereal products
- infant food
Our quarterly reports include full details of the pesticides for which we carry out tests.

Designation of Official Laboratories for pesticide residue analysis

Designated Official Laboratories (OLs) undertake monitoring of pesticide residues in food and feed on behalf of the UK Government and the devolved administrations under Article 37 of retained Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on Official Controls.

Competent Authorities designate OLs. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the ministers of the devolved administrations are the Competent Authorities responsible for designating OLs to monitor maximum residue levels of pesticides in or on food and feed for Great Britain.

The Health and Safety Executive will exercise this function on behalf of the Competent Authorities.