Romania steps up food safety checks on Turkish imports

Daniel Constantin, the Romanian minister of agriculture, declared on Tuesday that all fruit imports…

Daniel Constantin, the Romanian minister of agriculture, declared on Tuesday that all fruit imports from Turkey would undergo detailed controls as a result of recent grapefruit imports that had been found to contain pesticide residues above the legally permitted amount. So far 120 tons of grapefruit have been destroyed.

"It is an important quantity – 120 tons of grapefruit. There was a pesticide in a dose exceeding the one allowed by EU regulations. There was a fungicide used to fight diseases and pests for these plants and which in high quantities could have negative affects on humans and animals as well," Constantin said.

"That is why at least for now on we should analyse more attentively all fruit imports from Turkey," he said.

The substance in question is imazalil.