High levels of pesticide residues found in litchi fruit samples.
The study looked at pesticide residues in litchi fruit to see if they pose a risk to people who eat them. They tested 268 litchi samples and found that all of them had pesticide residues. Some samples had up to 11 different pesticides, with pyraclostrobin being the most common. Nearly 20% of the samples had pesticide levels above safe limits, indicating overuse of pesticides. One unauthorized pesticide, imidacloprid, was also found in some samples. Despite these findings, the overall risk to consumers was low, with exposure levels ranging from 0% to 36.8%. Regular monitoring of pesticide residues in litchi is recommended to ensure their safety and quality.