Assessment of pesticide use and pesticide residues in vegetables from two provinces in Central Vietnam

Pesticide residue in food, especially in vegetables, is one of the important parameters to assess food safety. This study evaluates the pesticide use in vegetables from two provinces in Central Vietnamand and present data on pesticides detected in vegetables sampled from the sites. The potential health risk associated with the contamination of four commonly used pesticides in different vegetables is also discussed. Both household surveys and monitoring campaigns were conducted. The survey showed that improper pesticide application, storage, and waste disposal prevailed at the study sites. Only 20% of the respondent were aware of pesticide toxicity. As a result, pesticides were detected in 81% out of 290 vegetable samples collected at harvesting time. Up to 23% of samples had pesticide residues above the Maximum Residue Limit values. The highest total pesticide concentration quantified in vegetables in Thua Thien Hue was 11.9 mg/kg (green onions), and in Quang Binh was 38.6 mg/kg (mustard greens). Median residue levels of individual pesticides in vegetables ranged from 0.007 to 0.037 mg/kg. Among the ten target pesticides, cypermethrin, difenoconazole, and fenobucarb were detected at the highest frequencies (72%, 41%, and 37%, respectively). Pesticide residues varied between seasons at both study provinces. Pesticide contamination in the wet season was significantly higher than in the dry season. This study also discovered a potential health risk associated with fipronil residues in vegetables in Thua Thien Hue province. The paper provides recommendations for mitigation measures (both technological and social) in reducing potential health risks linked to pesticide use in vegetables in the region.