Detecting Overseas Pesticides Too... Seoul City Expands Residual Pesticide Tests on Agricultural Products to 471 Types

Strengthening Residual Pesticide Testing for Agricultural Products Distributed Across Seoul Including Garak and Gangseo Wholesale Markets, Marts, Schools, and Public Catering

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 19th that it will significantly expand the pesticide residue tests conducted on agricultural products distributed within Seoul to 471 items starting this month. While previously only pesticides used domestically were detected, the addition of test items will now enable the detection of unregistered overseas pesticides not approved for use in Korea, thereby further enhancing food safety.

Seoul City conducts pesticide residue tests on agricultural products distributed throughout Seoul, including those from Garak and Gangseo public wholesale markets, agricultural products distributed through marts and department stores, as well as ingredients supplied to schools, daycare centers, and public meal services.

In the case of Garak and Gangseo wholesale markets, the Agricultural and Marine Products Safety Management Team operating on-site collects agricultural products before auction and requests testing from the Health and Environment Research Institute. The institute can rapidly test trace amounts of pesticide residues within six hours using precision analysis equipment.

Agricultural products distributed without passing through wholesale markets, such as those sold in marts and department stores, and those supplied as ingredients for schools, daycare centers, and public meal services are collected by the Food Collection and Recall Teams operated by Seoul City in each region (Gangseo, Gangbuk, Gangnam) and sent to the Health and Environment Research Institute for testing.

If the Health and Environment Research Institute determines that agricultural products are non-compliant based on test results, the Seoul City Food Collection and Recall Teams promptly seize, recall, and dispose of all such products on-site to block their distribution.

Furthermore, the Health and Environment Research Institute delivers the test results of non-compliant agricultural products to related administrative agencies, including the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and the city or province where the agricultural products were cultivated, to ensure follow-up actions are taken.

Shin Yong-seung, Director of the Seoul Health and Environment Research Institute, stated, “We expect that the expansion of pesticide residue test items will further strengthen the safety management of agricultural products for Seoul citizens,” and added, “We will proactively work to secure food safety by, among other measures, introducing additional testing and analysis equipment in the future.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.