Pesticides are chemicals used in agriculture to protect crops from pests. In addition to protection during cultivation, they are also used after harvesting to extend the shelf life of products. Postharvest control stands out, especially when it comes to products imported from distant countries, resulting in increased concentration of pesticides and risk to human health consuming such products. In this study, analyses of pesticide residues were performed on 200 samples of fruits and vegetables. Pesticide residues were identified and quantified in 30 out of 200 samples. Study results revealed imazalil to be the most frequently detected pesticide. Risk assessment was performed on the obtained results, and it was carried out separately for adults and for children under 6 years of age. Imazalil showed the highest ARfD percentage for adults (max% ARfD 251%), and these values were especially high on risk assessment for children, where they amounted up to max% ARfD 1087%. The study of imazalil impact was performed on 16 Swiss albino mice divided into two groups and 4 subgroups. Experimental group animals were treated with the corresponding NOAEL dose of imazalil (10 mg/kg) for 28 days. Body weight was measured before each pesticide application on a digital electronic Sartorius scale. Peripheral blood analysis was performed after 28-day animal exposure to pesticides. Animals were anesthetized, blood samples were obtained by cardiac puncture, and red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, and white blood cell (WBC) count were determined by standard hematological methods. The organs for determination of imazalil concentration were extracted immediately upon animal sacrifice and stored in a freezer at -80°C until analysis. Results show difference in gain weight, and an increase in WBC count was recorded in the experimental group as compared with a control group of animals. The highest imazalil levels were recorded in adipose tissue (45.2‰) which proves tendency to accumulate.

Over the past few decades, the extensive use of plastics has led to significant environmental challenges due to their limited biodegradability and long-term persistence. Consequently, biodegradable materials have attracted considerable attention as sustainable alternative solutions to mitigate these environmental concerns. Also, the use and disposal of these materials present some sustainability challenges. Biopolymers have some advantages over standard polymers, such as biodegradability, non-toxicity and environmental sustainability, and they can be used in various industries. Taking into account the fact that the biopolymers are produced by living organisms and microorganisms, they are considered as the natural materials that can be composted. This review paper explores the increased demand for biopolymers and summarizes their benefits along with application. Overall, the focus is on the composting process as the promising sustainable technology for recovery of biodegradable waste as well as for biopolymers. Also, some biopolymers and their degradation in different conditions are presented, and the biodegradation test methods for these materials are mentioned in accordance with relevant international standards. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current developments and future development directions for the biopolymer field.

Monitoring pesticide residues in olive oil is important for food-safety surveillance, but interpretation requires a clear distinction between analytical detections, regulatory screening, and health-risk assessment. This study examined 200 olive-oil samples obtained directly from consenting producers in six Croatian coastal counties during 2019–2021 using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS multiresidue methods. The sampling was non-probability-based and the commercial category of the oils was not independently verified. Thirty-three residue detections were recorded in 23 unique samples (11.5% of all samples); eight samples contained more than one detected pesticide. Phosmet was the most frequently detected compound (16 detections) and remained below the study-specific MRL screening benchmark. Chlorpyrifos was detected in three samples and boscalid in three samples at concentrations above the corresponding unprocessed-commodity MRL benchmarks when a processing factor of 1 was applied. Deterministic acute exposure was calculated independently using EFSA PRIMo revision 3.1 consumption inputs for “olives for oil production”. For pesticides with an established acute reference dose (ARfD), the highest estimate was observed for phosmet and reached 10.87% ARfD in adults and 17.93% ARfD in children. No quantitative %ARfD conclusion was possible for chlorpyrifos because EFSA could not establish a health-based guidance value following concerns regarding genotoxicity and developmental neurotoxicity. Co-occurrence within EFSA cumulative assessment groups was therefore treated as a preliminary screening exercise rather than a cumulative risk estimate. These findings support continued targeted surveillance; however, they do not establish national representativeness, legal non-compliance of processed oil, or the environmental sustainability of production practices.