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Vegetables and fruits at Central Market safe and healthy

22 Jun 2020

Regular inspections and laboratory analyses of products at the Central Market for Vegetables and Fruits in Mawaleh has shown that the produce brought at the market is largely pesticide and chemical free. The results of the tests also reveal that more than 90 per cent of the vegetables and fruits sold at the market are compatible with European food safety standards.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the results of analyses of specimens of vegetables and fruits sold at the market in April 2020 showed that 185 samples out of 203 tested negative and were compatible with standards and specifications set in international and European food safety laws.

‘The checks showed that 5.4% of the tested items had proportions of pesticide residues beyond safe levels allowed for human consumption, as well as other chemically hazardous products due to high levels of pesticide residues. Accordingly, the ministry took legal action and rejected entry of the defective consignments.’

The checks also indicated that no residues of heavy chemical elements were found in fruit and vegetable samples taken from central market.

The Ministry pursues a programme of regular checks of fruits and vegetables, acting in cooperation with other departments concerned, to ensure the safety of farm products that enter Omani markets, it stated.

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