EU-banned pesticides found in rice, tea and spices

Laboratory tests of 64 food products from EU countries detected residues of banned pesticides in 45 samples, including rice, tea, spices, and paprika powder, with 11 samples exceeding legal limits. These banned chemicals are exported from EU member states to third countries and return to Europe as residues in imported food, creating a "toxic pesticides boomerang" that poses consumer health risks. The findings highlight concerns about weakening food safety regulations as the EU considers fast-tracking pesticide safety rollbacks.