The issue of traces of non-authorised substances in organic products, mainly pesticides, was one of the hot topics during the development of the new EU Organic Regulation, and the debate continues. If such substances are found, an official investigation must be conducted to determine the source and cause of contamination. A product can only be sold as organic if no major or critical non-compliances are found. The products concerned cannot be sold as organic until the investigation is concluded.
The issue has generated numerous reactions and discussions. On the one hand, organic consumers need to be protected against fraud. On the other hand, pesticides from conventional agriculture are found everywhere, so sometimes it is difficult to identify the source and cause with certainty.
Systematic investigations might be burdensome, expensive and contribute to food waste.
New vade mecum offers support
To support effective and efficient official investigations in accordance with the requirements of EU Organic Regulation 2018/848, a "Vade mecum on official investigation in organic products" has just been published, guiding investigation methods and techniques.
According to Nicolas Verlet, consultant and initiator of the vade mecum, the publication was written in a collaborative approach of 25 recognized experts from eight countries. Among them was Bernhard Speiser, expert on residues and inputs at FiBL Switzerland, who also was part of the eight-member editorial team. The publisher of the publication is the Resource Protection Ltd (GfRS), an EU organic control body.
"The vade mecum addresses the different aspects of an official investigation: the laboratory analysis which constitutes the starting point in most cases, the possible sources and causes of the contamination, and the toolbox of investigation techniques available to determine these sources and causes", says Tom Nizet from Authent, one of the authors. Jochen Neuendorff from GfRS adds: "The Vade mecum does not intend to present any position, it is purely technical. It shall support those directly involved in the conduct of official investigation".
Bernhard Speiser explains the application of the handbook in Switzerland: "In Switzerland, the procedure for residues in the organic sector is regulated by a directive of the FOAG (Federal Office for Agriculture, editor's note) and the FSVO (Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, editor's note). As a result, the requirements for the certification decision in Chapter 7 are not directly applicable for Switzerland. However, the information on the causes and methodology of the investigation in chapters 1 to 6 is of a universal nature and applies to Switzerland as well as to the EU."
The Vade mecum can be downloaded for free from the webpage of the Anti-Fraud-Initiative. (see link below). The website is supported by the Agro Eco-Louis Bolk Institute, the GfRS and FiBL Switzerland.
Questions, suggestions and requests on the vade mecum are welcome under contact(at)organic-integrity.org.
Further information
FiBL contact
Main authors
- Nicolas Verlet, Verlet Consulting, nicolasverlet1(at)gmail.com
- Jochen Neuendorff, GfRS, jochen.neuendorff(at)gfrs.de
Links and download
- organic-integrity.org: A Vade Mecum on Official Investigation in Organic Products
- blw.admin.ch: Directive on the procedure for residues in the organic sector in Switzerland (in German)
- fibl.org: Futher information on the topic of residues on the FiBL website