Background. The use of pesticide leads to the increase in quantity and quality of yields, but may also result in presence of toxic contaminants in food products. Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate presence of pesticide residues in raw agricultural products from the south-eastern region of Poland, to verify their compliance with the maximum residue levels’ (MRLs) as specified in the EU regulations concerning products present in the market, and to assess the acute risk related to consumption of these products. Material and Methods. Samples of raw agricultural products were obtained from production farms as a part of an official premarket monitoring of pesticide residues conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, implemented in cooperation with the regional Inspectorates of Plant Health and Seed Inspection. The scheduled tests covered determination of 243 chemicals included in residue definitions for purposes of pesticide residues monitoring in or on food of plant origin (229 pesticides). Results. In 2015, a total of 328 samples of raw commodities collected from the south-eastern region of Poland were analysed for the presence of pesticide residues. Pesticide residues were detected in 84 samples (25.6%), while in 7 samples (2.1%) they exceeded MRLs. Violations of MRLs concerned 2 samples of Peking Cabbage, 3 samples of dill, 1 sample of raspberry and 1 sample of spinach. The pesticide residues were most often found in: fruit (38.3% of all fruit samples), herbs (35.3%) and vegetables (20.0%). The assessed acute exposure did not exceed the 100% acute reference dose (ARfD) in any sample. Conclusions. Monitoring of pesticide residues in the agricultural crops prevents penetration of products with MRLs exceeded or containing unacceptable pesticide residues into the market, thus protecting consumers’ health.
Limitations on the use of animals for biological experiments has forced a search for alternative simpler organisms for testing the biological activity of organic compounds. The aim of this research was to use Tetrahymena termophila for testing the opioid activity of peptide, -casomorphin-7, isolated from cheese. Three kinds of test were used: 1) test for inhibition of protozoa mobility, 2) trap test, and 3) phagocytose test. The results for the trap test suggests that it can be used to determine the presence of harmful substances occurring in food. Determination of the opioid properties using the phagocytose test showed that morphine inhibits the phagocytose process of Tetrahymena termophila. -casomorphin-7 had smaller inhibitory effect on phagocytosis than morphine. it can be said that our results and literature prove the possibility of using protozoa Tetrahymena termophila for studies of antinutritional substances and opioids in raw and food products.