A chemical method detects more pesticides in fruits with five times less environmental impact.

A research team from the University of Almería (UAL) has applied a chemical technique that improves the detection of pesticides in fruits and vegetables, allowing the identification of up to 257 different substances with greater precision and reducing solvent consumption by five times compared to traditional methods. According to information from the Descubre Foundation, an agency under the Ministry of University, Research and Innovation, this advancement, published in the scientific journal 'Analytica Chimica Acta', represents a more sustainable and efficient option for food safety, as it surpasses the capacity of current routine controls, which typically identify between 100 and 200 compounds. UAL researcher Amadeo Rodríguez Fernández-Alba explained that the new strategy minimizes the amount of sample —liquid or solid material to be analyzed— and the necessary reagents, while "maintaining and even improving the sensitivity and precision of the traditional method". The scientists ...