Pesticides in tomato paste on Egyptian markets and associated health risk

This study investigated the occurrence of pesticide residues in tomato paste samples collected from Egyptian markets during 2024-2025 to evaluate their safety and potential health risks. LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS analysis revealed detection of 70 and 57 residues in 2024 and 2025, respectively, with a noticeable decline in both diversity and frequency of violations over time. The most frequently detected pesticides were chlorfenapyr, cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, and propargite, with several samples exceeding their maximum residue limits (MRLs). Notably, chlorpyrifos residues persisted, despite its national ban in 2022, indicating gaps in pesticide regulation and application control. Health risk assessment identified haloxyfop, omethoate, emamectin, and chlorfenapyr as major contributors to chronic or acute hazard quotients, with HQ or aHI values above 100%, suggesting potential long-term health concerns. These findings indicate the occurrence of a potential of both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks for consumers.