Efficiency of combined techniques in pesticide residues removal from food: a systematic review
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Date
2025
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer Nature
Abstract
The global use of pesticides has steadily increased in recent years to enhance food production and protection and prolonge its shelf life. Nevertheless, pesticide residues and their association with various human diseases have raised concerns among the population, as the primary route of human exposure to pesticides is through food consumption. Consequently, removing pesticide residues from agricultural products and food is crucial for mitigating associated risks. Various treatments are employed to eliminate and degrade pesticide residues, with commonly used conventional techniques such as washing, peeling, and cooking being used. Additionally, emerging techniques such as ultrasound, ozone, electric current, plasma, and ultraviolet light have been applied to remove these residues. In this study, we systematically reviewed 38 articles to assess the efficacy of combined techniques for pesticide residue removal in food. The findings revealed that using combined techniques resulted in significantly higher levels of residue removal. Furthermore, combining emerging techniques with other treatments has demonstrated increased removal efficiency, significantly reducing the variability in the percentage range of residue removal. The synergistic use of ultrasound, ozone, and ultraviolet light techniques demonstrated a notably enhanced efficacy in removing pesticides, resulting in a higher elimination percentage. Among the 38 studies, 12 exhibited substantially lower variability. Moreover, ultrasound emerged as the technique with the most significant synergistic effect when combined with other techniques, enhancing the overall efficiency of pesticide residue removal. Among the 12 studies with lower variability, 9 incorporated ultrasound, 4 ozone, and 3 ultraviolet light as part of the combined treatment. However, it is essential to note that conventional techniques also achieved considerable residue removal, even with more significant variability. This information can serve as valuable guidance for managers, decision-makers, and the public in effectively selecting appropriate techniques to eliminate pesticide residues from food before consumption or sale.
Description
Keywords
Pesticide degradation, Pesticide removal, Combined techniques, Multiple techniques
Citation
Food Production, Processing and Nutrition. 2025 Apr 25;7(1):31