Argentine Sunflower Imports Found to Exceed EU Pesticide Limits

Novinite.com
12 May 2026, 16:50 GMT+10

Sunflower imported from Argentina has been found to contain pesticide residues exceeding European Union safety limits, according to the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency. The discovery was made during laboratory testing of a shipment that arrived with the tenth vessel carrying agricultural goods from Argentina.

Authorities reported that a sample taken on May 8 revealed the presence of the active substances deltamethrin and malathion at levels four to five times higher than the allowed thresholds. The agency stressed that such concentrations are not compliant with EU food safety standards.

According to official data, Bulgaria has already received a total of 363,400 tons of sunflower seeds from Argentina through nine earlier shipments. Testing of this raw material has repeatedly shown pesticide residues above the maximum permitted levels, raising concerns over its suitability for food production within the European market.

The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency noted that products derived from this batch are not permitted for use within the EU due to the detected contamination levels.

The importer has informed authorities that approximately one-third of the imported sunflower has already been processed into oil. This oil was subsequently exported to markets in Egypt and India, according to the same report.

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