Pesticide residue reduction by the process of preparing whole orange puree

Bearing marrs orange trees sprayed with a mixture of pesticides were harvested from one to 31 days after application. Samples from each harvest were analyzed for pesticide residues in various washed, unwashed, and processed states. Washing eliminated from 8-35% of the residue initially present on the unwashed fruit. The whole orange puree had a residue level from 71-95% less than the unwashed fruit did. Individual pesticide residues did not exceed the tolerances established by EPA, even on the unwashed fruit harvested one day after the spray application. Residues on fruit harvested three months after the last spray application in a normal pesticide program were no higher than 1.4% of the tolerance limit. Residues in whole orange puree were thus substantially less than that of the unwashed fruit and well within the established tolerances for whole fruit.