State General Laboratory report finds pesticide residues in Cypriot food

A 2025 report published by the Cyprus State General Laboratory indicates that 13.1 percent of 466 analyzed plant food samples contained pesticide residues exceeding official limits. While the laboratory initially reported 61 non-compliant samples, State Chemist Revekka Kokkinofta clarified that only 7.3 percent (34 samples) breached legal thresholds when accounting for measurement uncertainty. The residues were found in products including vegetables, fruit, tea, herbs, spices, and legumes, as well as in 18 out of 85 organic samples.

Specific instances of high toxicity were recorded, including seven samples where exposure for both adults and children exceeded acute toxicity reference doses, such as cypermethrin in grapes and spinach. Other frequently detected substances included acetamiprid and tebuconazole. While domestic produce accounted for over half of the tested items, imports from the EU and third countries were also examined. Critics, including academics like Menelaos Stavrinidis, have expressed concern over the delayed nature of these results, noting that contaminated products often reach consumers before analyses are complete. Authorities continue to review these findings to determine appropriate regulatory responses, with the Department of Agriculture overseeing earlier inspection stages.