NordenBladet – Nearly 25 tons of oranges arriving from Egypt were returned by the Estonian Agricultural and Food Board at the Muuga border crossing due to the detection of residues of plant protection products not recognized in the European Union.
The contaminated oranges were discovered during a routine inspection, where all high-risk non-animal products are checked at the border, including documents and samples taken with a certain frequency. The Navel oranges from Egypt exceeded the maximum limit for the residues of three plant protection products not recognized in the EU, namely cyfluthrin, omethoate, and dimethoate. As a result, the oranges were sent back to their country of origin.
Regina Pihlaka, the head of the border inspection department of the Agriculture and Food Board, explained that non-compliance was also detected in two non-animal products last year. In the case of rice, the documents did not meet the requirements, and bamboo plastic products intended for food contact were not allowed in the European Union. The products came from China and were destroyed. The agency continues to take samples to detect pesticide residues in food, allowing them to identify potentially hazardous products and remove them from sale or send them back at the border point.
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