A SIX YEAR analysis of agricultural produce has revealed excess pesticide levels in 0.5 per cent of cases, according to figures released by the Department of Agriculture.
Of 8,590 samples tested between 1990 and 1995, 42 were found to have exceeded the maximum residue levels set by a series of EU directives.
Nineteen of the excess cases, which included fruit, vegetables, cereals and food of animal origin, were imported products.
The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, called the results "satisfactory", but said he was determined that the number of samples exceeding allowable levels would be reduced as near as possible to zero.
He said sensitivity of testing procedures had increased 10 fold since 1994.
The highest incidence of excess levels occurred in fruit and vegetables, which accounted for 34 of 42 the cases. The worst years were 1993, with 10 such cases, and 1995, with nine.
In the entire six year period, only one case of excess pesticide levels had been found in food of animal origin, out of almost 6,000 samples tested.