Evaluation of processing factors and risk assessment for fifteen pesticides in litchi based on laboratory simulation experiments

This study aimed to investigate the variations in pesticide residues in litchi resulting from different processing techniques through laboratory simulation experiments. The effects of the various processing methods on pesticide residues differed markedly. For most pesticides, the processing factor exceeded 1. The residue levels of 15 pesticides in litchi decreased consistently with their transfer rates. Specifically, canned processing reduced pesticide residues by 58.2%, and organochlorine and pyrethroid pesticides were completely removed. Juice processing resulted in a 44.0% reduction in pesticide residues, whereas fat-soluble pesticides tended to accumulate in litchi pomace. Among washing experiments conducted with water and solutions of NaCl, citric acid, and NaHCO 3 , the 1% NaHCO 3 solution exhibited a higher pesticide residue removal rate for pesticides characterized by high water solubility and low logK ow values. According to the dietary risk assessment, the chronic exposure risk for all processed products remained below the safety threshold of 100%. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of promoting rational and scientific pesticide use to ensure the safety of litchi products and the sustainability of the litchi industry.