Carbamate pesticides in UAE dates and health risk
What it found
Most carbamate pesticide residues in 55 date samples from the UAE were below safety limits, but carbosulfan, propoxur and carbofuran exceeded their limits in some samples.
The authors calculated that eating dates does not pose a non-carcinogenic health risk for adults or children.
What they found
Residues found in all samples
Every date sample contained at least one carbamate pesticide, and each of the 14 pesticides was found in at least one sample. Most residues were below the maximum residue limits set by the EU and Codex Alimentarius.
Carbosulfan above limit
Carbosulfan was found in all 55 samples, and in 21 samples (38.2%) it was above the maximum residue limit of 10 μg kg-1. Concentrations ranged from 2.54 to 24.77 μg kg-1.
Propoxur and carbofuran
Propoxur was detected in 53 samples and exceeded its limit in 2 samples. Carbofuran was found in 33 samples and exceeded its limit in 1 sample.
Other carbamates detected
Phenmedipham, propamocarb, aminocarb and ethiofencarb were found in many samples but always below their limits. Carbaryl, methomyl, desmedipham and methiocarb were found in fewer than 30% of samples.
Health risk estimate
The authors used a computer simulation to estimate non-carcinogenic risk for adults and children. The hazard index was 0.00524 for adults and 0.00749 for children, both below the safety limit of 1.0.
What the authors conclude
“The obtained HI < 1.0 indicates that date consumers are not at risk.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that the consumption of dates in the UAE does not pose a non-carcinogenic health risk for the adult population.
- They state that the consumption of dates does not pose a non-carcinogenic health risk for children in the UAE.
- They advise that continuous monitoring and strict regulations are needed to ensure consumer safety.
How it was done
Dates are eaten widely in the UAE, with adults averaging 114.3 g per day, and no published research had looked at pesticide residues in dates grown there. The authors wanted to check residue levels against international limits and assess any health risk.
They collected 55 fresh date samples from markets and farms across the UAE and tested them for 14 carbamate pesticides using a method called UHPLC-MS/MS. They also ran a computer simulation to estimate health risks for adults and children based on how many dates people eat.
What it can’t tell you
- This study measured pesticide levels in dates at one point in time and estimated risk from those levels. It cannot show whether eating these dates would cause any health effects in people.
- The risk assessment only covered six carbamates for which reference doses were available. It did not assess the other eight pesticides found.
- The study did not measure actual health outcomes in people, so it cannot prove cause and effect.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by United Arab Emirates University (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no competing interests.
- Authors work at
- United Arab Emirates University, United Arab Emirates
The paper
- Title
- Determination and health risk assessment of carbamate pesticide residues in date palm fruits (Phoenix dactylifera) using QuEChERS method and UHPLC-MS/MS
- Type
- Study
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Morsi R, Ghoudi K, Meetani MA (2024). Determination and health risk assessment of carbamate pesticide residues in date palm fruits (Phoenix dactylifera) using QuEChERS method and UHPLC-MS/MS. Scientific reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-63704-6Free full textPubMed 38844596DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error