Chilli peppers and powders on the czech market: are their authenticity and safety of concern?

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60461373%3A22330%2F23%3A43927352" target="_blank" >RIV/60461373:22330/23:43927352 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

—

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

—

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Chilli peppers and powders on the czech market: are their authenticity and safety of concern?

Original language description

Chilli peppers and the products thereof are frequently used as food ingredients all over the world. However, safety issues persist, with unauthorised and excessive pesticide residue levels having been reported for fresh chilli peppers and chilli powders. High levels of multiple residues and mycotoxins were also found in chili samples within our preliminary study. Here, we determined these levels in samples obtained from the Czech market. Assessment was done on more than 400 pesticide residues and several mycotoxins. The results for the pesticides found in fresh chilli peppers were evaluated in terms of the EU maximum residue limits (Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005), whilst the processing factor (10) recommended by the European Spice Association was utilized to evaluate the equivalent MRLs for the powders. Multiple pesticide residues, including chlorpyrifos and carbofuran, both of which are prohibited in the EU, were found in both types of samples to be over MRL limits. Some chilli peppers contained excessive levels of profenofos, with the highest level being fifty times the MRL. Furthermore, azoxystrobin and fluopyram residues exceeded MRLs even in so-called BIO powders. In addition, several types of mycotoxins, including ochratoxin A that was over the maximum limit (Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006), were found in chilli powders. Furthermore, with regard to assessing the qualitative properties of chillies, the content of capsaicinoids (the compound responsible for the stimulating properties) is of interest. Capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, and nordihydrocapsaicin contents were measured. The Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) was related to the above-mentioned chemical analysis of capsaicin and found to be in most cases in compliance with the label which was declared by their supplier.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

O - Miscellaneous

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

30304 - Public and environmental health

Project

—

Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2023

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů