TRACE-RICE Team Publishes in Food Chemistry: "Validation of an HPLC-MS/MS Method for the Quantification of Pesticide Residues in Rice and Assessment of the Washing Effect"

The TRACE-RICE team has successfully validated a method for quantifying 121 pesticide residues—including carbamates, organophosphates, organochlorines, and pyrethroids—in rice samples. The study adhered to the SANTE/11312/2021v2 guidance document, using the QuEChERS method for pesticide extraction, followed by HPLC-MS/MS analysis. This methodology achieved high precision and accuracy, with recovery rates between 70% and 119%.

Beyond validation, the research evaluated the impact of washing on pesticide residue levels in contaminated long-grain rice. After washing, pesticide residues were measured to determine the retention factor, revealing that approximately 40% of the pesticides showed a reduction of 40-60%, and 10% of pesticides reduced by over 60%. These findings provide valuable insights for enhancing food safety practices, particularly in managing pesticide contamination in cereals.

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