Dietary exposure to chlorinated pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables from Ghanaian markets

Analysis of 400 fruit and vegetable samples obtained from open and closed markets in Accra, Ghana was carried out employing a multi-residue method based on solid-phase extraction followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Generally, the data showed that most of the fruit and vegetable samples analysed contain residues of the monitored pesticides below the accepted maximum residue limit (MRL) as adopted by the Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), although some pesticide residues were not detected in some of the fruit and vegetable samples. The results obtained further revealed that 20% of the fruit and vegetable samples were above MRL, 73% were below MRL and 7% contained no detectable level of the monitored pesticides. Estimation of dietary intake of pesticides from fruit and vegetables revealed that, pesticides detected in fruits and vegetables did not cause dietary intake risks. The results recommend the need for regular monitoring for pesticide residues of a greater number of samples for long periods, especially in fruit and vegetables, to protect consumers’ health.