Over 90% of food products tested in 2025 compliant. ANSA publishes pesticide residue report

The National Food Safety Agency (ANSA) has published the Annual Report on the Monitoring of Pesticide Residues in Plant-Based Food Products for 2025, a document showing that most of the analyzed foods comply with legal food safety limits. According to the results, 91.7% of the samples tested were compliant, indicating a high level of safety for products sold on the market of the Republic of Moldova.

The report provides an overview of the pesticide residues identified in food products placed on the market, highlighting both the level of compliance and any non-compliances detected. The document also includes recommendations on risk management in cases where maximum permissible limits were exceeded.

Significantly higher number of samples tested

In 2025, ANSA intensified control and monitoring activities, analyzing 2,108 food samples, 962 more than in 2024. Monitoring covered both domestic and imported products and was carried out to assess consumer exposure to potential risks and to verify compliance with applicable sanitary standards.

The analyses were conducted under several control programs:

- 237 samples were analyzed under the monitoring program for domestically produced plant-based foods, of which four samples (1.7%) were declared non-compliant;

- 356 samples were analyzed for imported plant-based foods, with 34 non-compliant samples confirmed (9.6%);

- 1,477 samples were examined as part of intensified controls at border inspection posts, where 138 samples (9.3%) were non-compliant;

- 38 samples were analyzed for organic plant-based foods, all of which were compliant.

Measures taken for non-compliant batches

Following the detection of products exceeding the maximum permissible levels of pesticide residues, ANSA inspectors carried out unannounced inspections at the operators concerned and ordered a series of measures to manage the non-compliant situations.

Actions taken included: - destruction or recycling of batches of pomegranates, dill, parsley, buckwheat, carrots, rice, tea and peppers, totaling 217,760.8 kg; - conditional use for biogas production or incineration of 720 kg of rice; - use for sowing of a batch of 3,000 kg of oats; - non-marketing and leaving in the field of batches of strawberries, dill and parsley, totaling 270 kg; - return to the exporter of batches of tea and rice, totaling 50,034.51 kg; - withdrawal from the market of already sold batches of pomegranates, tomatoes, dill, parsley and figs, totaling 54,229.8 kg.

Compliance with sanitary regulations is mandatory for business operators

Under Government Decision No. 867/2023, which approves the sanitary regulation on maximum residue levels of pesticides in or on food and feed of plant and animal origin, as well as Ministry of Health Order No. 20/2024, placing on the market food products that exceed the maximum permissible limits is strictly prohibited.

National regulations transpose the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, applied at European level, setting strict standards for consumer protection.

The report published by ANSA thus highlights the role of official controls in ensuring food safety and in preventing the marketing of products that may pose health risks to the population. At the same time, the continuous monitoring of pesticide residues contributes to increased transparency and to strengthening consumer confidence in the food products available on the market of the Republic of Moldova.