Food consumed in the European unio continues to be largely free of pesticide residues or to contain residues that fall within legal limits, new figures show.

The latest monitoring report published by EFSA reveals that more than 97% of food samples collected across the EU in 2015 were within legal limits, with just over 53% free of quantifiable residues. The figures are in line with those recorded in 2014.

Key points from the report included:

In 2015, the reporting countries analysed 84,341 samples for 774 pesticides.

97.2% of the samples analysed fell within the limits permitted in EU legislation. 53.3% of the samples tested were free of quantifiable residues while 43.9% contained residues not exceeding legal limits.

Legal limits were exceeded in 5.6% of the samples from non-EU countries, down from 6.5% in 2014.

For products from EU and EEA countries, legal limits were exceeded in 1.7% of samples, a slight year-on-year increase (from 1.6%).

Of the samples of foods intended for infants and young children, 96.5% were free of residues or residues fell within legal limits.

For organic foods, 99.3% were residue-free or within legal limits.