Dietary exposure to plant protection products - a cumulative risk assessment

Plant production products are used to prevent plant diseases, to restrict harmful organisms, and to regulate growth. The consumer risks of active substances are evaluated considering one substance at a time, which gives crucial information, but as such cannot give an overall picture of dietary exposure. The probability of dietary exposure was estimated by cumulative simulation methods. For the first time in Finland exposure estimation in acute setting and also among sensitive groups, such as young children, has been carried out. The cumulative risk assessment presented herein is based on research results gained in control of pesticides residues from a total of 10 565 foodstuff samples. Moreover, risk assessment has utilised data on food consumption of adults and children, produced by the National Institute for Health and Welfare and the DIPP Consortium (the National FINDIET 2007 Survey and DIPP Nutrition Studies). Dietary exposure to residues of plant protection products is characterized by a low chronic exposure level, on which higher acute exposure occasionally takes place.  
While chronic exposure to pesticide residues did not raise any concerns, the situation in acute exposure setting cannot be considered equally good. Carbamates and organophosphates resulted in aRfD exceedances among children and adults with a probability higher than 0,01%. While the probability of an aRfD exceedance in adult group in the past few years has decreased to acceptable levels, among three-year old children it has not. Although the most important underlying carbamates and organophosphates are not used in Finland any more, current situation does not in all respects fulfil the goals set for the level of protection. Therefore monitoring of sensitive subpopulations should be continued.