Determination of pesticide residues in olive oils with protected geographical indication or designation of origin

Abstract

Summary Seventy olive oil samples with protected geographical indication ( PGI ) or designation of origin ( PDO ) were analysed for fifty‐one target pesticides by means of gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The highest detection rates were observed for penconazole ( n = 20), α‐endosulfan ( n = 18), β‐endosulfan ( n = 16) and flufenoxuron ( n = 12). Four of the seventy investigated samples contained pesticide residues in levels exceeding MRL s. However, the investigated samples showed decreased occurrence and levels of pesticides residues in comparison with previous studies concerning samples from G reek conventional and organic cultivations. According to S pearman matrix, powerful correlations were obtained between α‐endosulfan and β‐endosulfan, detected as pair in thirteen samples and between flufenoxuron and penconazole detected as pair in eleven samples. Among Greek olive oil samples, the Cretan ones showed the lower detection rates and the lowest average number of detected pesticides per sample (1.75) in the case of pesticides positive samples.