Pesticides, Mycotoxins and Metals in Imported Rice: A Concerning Trend

In recent years, food safety in Europe has faced an increasingly complex challenge linked to rice imports from third countries. According to data from the RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed), in the first eight months of 2025, more than 75 alerts concerning rice have already been recorded, in particular:

• 42 for the presence of unauthorized pesticides or concentrations above legal limits,
• 28 for the presence of mycotoxins at excessively high concentrations,
• 3 for heavy metals.

The most frequently involved countries of origin are Pakistan (36 alerts) and India (31 alerts), which together account for 89% of all notifications registered so far in 2025. This trend confirms the already alarming data from 2024, a year in which nearly 150 notifications were recorded for the presence of these contaminants in rice.
These figures reflect a critical situation, further aggravated by the fact that many of the substances detected — such as carbendazim and tricyclazole — have long been banned within the European Community due to health risks for consumers. Nevertheless, their use continues to be permitted in non-EU countries, creating a regulatory gap that burdens European producers and undermines consumer confidence.

🔬 Our solution for laboratories

The growing number of notifications requires a joint commitment between institutions, producers, and laboratories to ensure high food safety standards. Test Veritas Proficiency Tests represent a concrete step in this direction, offering laboratories a valuable opportunity to test, compare, and improve their analytical performance in a constantly evolving context.
Test Veritas is committed every day to offering tangible support to those who wish to ensure reliability and quality in their results.

PT for Aflatoxins B/G and Ochratoxin A in rice (code R5707)
Round of October 2025

• Data di spedizione: 20 Ottobre 2025
• Test Material: rice, 55g x 1 Test Material, spiked
• Molecules under study: Aflatoxin B1, Aflatoxin B2, Aflatoxin G1, Aflatoxin G2, Aflatoxins B1+B2+G1+G2 (sum), Ochratoxin A
• Indicative concentration: Aflatoxin < 80ppb, Ochratoxin A < 30ppb
• The price is only 363,00€ for the participation with confirmatory methods. Partial participation is also available at a reduced price, in case not all analytes are of interest..

💡 SAVE ON SHIPPING COSTS IN OCTOBER! The Progetto Trieste – Mycotoxins PTs are scheduled for the October 2025 rounds. In the same rounds, you can also find PTs from other lines such as Progetto Trieste – Metals, Progetto Trieste – Pesticide Residues, and Progetto Trieste – Additives. Order as many PTs as you want among those shipped on the same day: shipping costs remain the same!

COMING SOON: PT for Pesticides in rice
Round of October 2026

• Test Material: rice, 80g x 1 Test Material, spiked
• Wide list of analytes under study: at least 6 will be guaranteed
• Indicative Concentrations: < 300ppb
• The price is only 285,00€
• Blank material available! You can also purchase the blank material (test material before spiking).

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OUR STRENGTHS for these PTs

• With us, convenience doubles! For all Progetto Trieste PTs you can submit 2 sets of results: with a single subscriptions you will receive the evaluation of 2 laboratory technicians or 2 analytical methods directly in the Final Report.
• Even more reliable assigned value thanks to the high stability of our Test Materials, which are mostly provided in lyophilized (to be analyzed after reconstitution). This ensures stability even during long shipments, so every participant, regardless of their country, receives the sample in the same conditions. After reconstitution, it will be just like a routine sample.
• For Mycotoxins PTs: Separate evaluation of screening and confirmation methods results, with the assigned value derived only from quantitative confirmation results. This feature of our PTs complies with UNI CEI EN ISO/IEC 17043:2010, which requires the use of fit-for-purpose evaluation methods. This makes the assigned value more reliable and the evaluation more valid. Even when evaluating a screening method, the PT simulates what you would do in your routine (comparing your results with confirmation data). Semi-quantitative (< or >) and qualitative results from screening methods receive evaluations with dedicated criteria. Quantitative results from both screening and confirmation are evaluated with z-scores.
• In general, our Proficiency Tests for Pesticide Residues include an extensive list of analytes under study. Of these, a minimum number of molecules will be present, and the presence of some will be declared and guaranteed.
• Progetto Trieste is an EN ISO/IEC 17043:2010 accredited PT, and Test Veritas has more than 25 years of experience as a proficiency testing provider.

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