European Union proficiency tests for pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables from 2009 to 2016: Overview of the results and main achievements

•Results of the last eight editions of EUPT-FV (2009-2016) are presented.•The number of participant laboratories raised from 151 in 2009 to 191 in 2016.•The total number of pesticide residue results evaluated was close to 18,000.•Key achievements about sample extraction and data dispersion are highlighted.•The use of a 50% target expanded measurement uncertainty is justified.

The European Union Reference Laboratory for pesticide residues in Fruits and Vegetables (EURL-FV) is organising, every year since 2004, the European Commission Proficiency Test for multiresidue analysis of pesticides in fruits and vegetables (EUPT-FV), which is directed to all National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) and all Official Laboratories (OfLs) responsible for pesticide residue control in the European Union. This work provides an updated overview of the last eight editions of EUPT-FV (2009-2016), highlighting the main difficulties encountered by the participant laboratories and the key achievements in the field of sample extraction and data dispersion and statistical evaluation. The number of participant laboratories was every year increasing from 151 in 2009 (EUPT-FV11) to 191 in 2016 (EUPT-FV18), and the total number of pesticide residue results reported by the laboratories in this period was close to 18,000. The percentage of acceptable, questionable and unacceptable z scores values assigned in each one of these eight EUPT-FVs has remained very similar with average values of 91.8, 3.5, and 4.7 percent, respectively. The large amount of data results evaluated has led to a strengthening in the use of the 25 percent fit-for-purpose relative standard deviation (FFP-RSD) as well as the use of an internationally accepted 50 percent target expanded measurement uncertainty default value when reporting results for multiresidue analysis of pesticides.