[Transfer of pesticide residues to crops via cardboard boxes]

Cardboard boxes used to transport crops are often reused in the distribution process, and therefore transfer of pesticides between crops might occur. So, we designed model experiments to investigate whether or not transfer of pesticide residues from crops to other crops via cardboard boxes occurs. Under severe experimental conditions, 6.2% of the pesticide residues of grapefruit was found to be transferred to spinach via cardboard boxes. In the case of the mandarin orange, 0.57% was transferred. The actual amount of transferred pesticides in the market may be less than that in these model experiments, but it is clear that transfer of pesticide residues to other crops via cardboard boxes can occur. Therefore more attention must be given to reuse of cardboard boxes in the distribution process.