'Dangerous' Food Sold Online Into West Sussex

Nearly half of packets of dried beans bought online, and sent into West Sussex, contained unsafe amounts of pesticide residues.

That's according to a sampling program carried out by West Sussex County Council Trading Standards, and funded by the Food Standards Agency.

Officials said their staff bought 30 bags of several different types of dried beans, and tests showed 14 of these contained unsafe levels of pesticide residues.

A further six had issues with labelling, and health claims.

One packet's artwork claimed the contents were “organic”, but tests revealed the product failed to match this description.

The items were bought from businesses directly online and via online marketplace sites.

Peter Aston, Trading Standards Team Manager, said:

“The Covid-19 pandemic has meant that many people haven’t been able to go out and visit shops to buy their food products first-hand.

"This means buying habits have changed to reflect this and sometimes it is just easier to find and buy certain products directly from independent websites and via online marketplaces.

“However, the safety measures that are in place with face-to-face retailers to make sure that the food they sell to consumers is safe for consumption isn’t always being followed by people selling these products online, whether that is knowingly or unknowingly."

“In the case of one pack of honey beans from our sample testing, levels of the insecticide Dichlorvos was found in concentrations at least 100 times the legal permitted limit.

"Dichlorvos causes neurotoxic effects and the maximum amount that can be left on foods when sold is set at a safe level by law.

"Although none of the sellers were based in West Sussex, the products were of course available to consumers across the county.

"This is therefore a timely reminder that we should all be more vigilant when we look to purchase anything online and make sure we are buying from a reputable seller.”

Trading Standards said recalls are taking place on the affected products and investigations are continuing into the reasons for the excessive levels of pesticides residues on the products.

These enquiries will include examining the checks that the sellers made, or didn’t make, to ensure the safety of the beans.

Duncan Crow, who's responsible for community support at West Sussex County Concil, added:

“Whether people shop with local businesses, big supermarket chains or with online retailers, they should always be confident that the products they are buying meet the standards set out by the Food Standards Agency.

“In the case of the dried beans purchased by Trading Standards, out of the 30 bags bought, two-thirds had issues, which is a real concern.

"I would encourage anyone buying food products online to really take the time to research what they are buying and make sure it comes from a reputable retailer.

"However, if you do buy a product and find that there is an issue with it, you can always report it to our Trading Standards Team who will be happy to investigate further.”

The Trading Standards team outlined how members of the public can contact them.

Information can be passed to them via Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133, or through an on-line form at https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/tsreport