Australian authority suspends use of post-harvest avocado and mango insecticide

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has suspended the use of some insecticides to treat avocados and mangoes post-harvest. It has suspended the registration and labels of specific chemical products containing dimethoate after reports that the maximum permitted level of pesticide residue had been exceeded in avocados and mangoes.

According to APVMA Acting CEO Dr Melissa McEwen, the suspension of specific dimethoate products used as a post-harvest dip for fruit with inedible peel was necessary to protect human health: ″The reports received by the APVMA indicated the maximum residue limit for omethoate, the main degradation product of dimethoate, had been exceeded in avocados and mangoes. Avocados and mangoes treated with dimethoate are still safe to eat, but the residues were above the acceptable level when used in accordance with the approved label instructions as a post-harvest dip.″

″The Notice of Suspension, published (on Tuesday) in the APVMA Gazette, includes instructions for use in a deemed permit that is valid for one year. These instructions allow the continued use of dimethoate but prohibit its use specifically as a post-harvest dip on tropical and sub-tropical fruit.″