They should be consumed sparingly, warns the magazine. The majority of bagged salads are contaminated by pesticide residues, according to a survey carried out by the magazine “60 million consumers” and whose conclusions were published this Thursday.
Also read: Pesticides in agriculture: why France remains “addicted”
To arrive at this observation, the investigators analyzed 26 references of bagged salads, including 13 classic lettuces and 13 salads from distributor brands, national brands and different types of agriculture (conventional, organic). “Our results turn out to be disappointing, even worrying, for some of the bagged salads,” we can read in the survey.
“Cocktail effect”
Of the 26 references analyzed, five are “free from contamination”. For the other 21, 3.8 pesticide residues per salad were detected on average. The multiplicity of molecules found alerts investigators, since 28 different molecules were detected in the tests, including eight suspected of having at least one "carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction" action, according to the classification of the European Health Agency. chemicals (ECHA).
The level of pesticide found in these salads consumed by nearly seven out of ten households remains “within regulatory limits”, so there is theoretically no health risk, “but scientists know almost nothing about the cocktail effects between all these molecules”, deplores “60 million consumers”.
Encouraging results for the chlorine solution
Pierre Meliet, president of the Union of manufacturers of fresh ready-to-use vegetable products (SVFPE), justifies this situation by the difficulty of fighting against diseases which affect salad cultivation and underlines the “heavy work” carried out by producers to try to limit their pesticide use.
“A salad, even if it contains these pesticide residues, does not present a risk. What is more annoying is consuming it every day for months,” explains Patricia Chairopoulos, journalist at “60 million consumers”, to franceinfo.
The level of residues of chlorine solution, used in the factory to wash the product before packaging, was also measured and the result is more positive: no trace of chlorine approaches the limit set by the authorities and organic Bonduelle lettuce does not does not even contain any at all, salutes the essay.