Pesticides used on Australian berries sold at Coles and Woolworths under review amid health concerns

Australians are eating more berries than ever before, with the surge in consumption triggering an urgent safety review into possible health risks from a common pesticide.

The appetite for blueberries, blackberries and raspberries has surged significantly in the past decade, however, the new figures put into question the use of a common chemical used to kill fruit flies.

The surge in consumption has prompted the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) to suspend the use of chemical products containing dimethoate, pending a review into the risks of exposure to harmful levels.

Although APVMA said the reassessment was required due to the approved label directions not leaving adequate safety margins between the possible level of dimethoate residues and the maxi