Pesticide prioritization based on risk and model diet proposals for assessing cumulative exposure to pesticide residues in the Brazilian population through food consumption

TL;DR

This study proposes model diets for Brazil to better assess pesticide exposure and prioritize monitoring based on food consumption patterns.

Contribution

The study introduces model diets tailored to Brazilian consumption patterns for improved pesticide exposure assessment.

Findings

Chlorpyrifos in citrus, banana, and potato had the highest risk score (168).

Model diets based on Brazilian dietary habits included 22 critical foods for pesticide exposure.

Conventional model diets may not accurately reflect exposure when compared to Brazil-specific diets.

Abstract

Pesticide residue exposure assessments can be carried out during both the pre‐regulation and post‐regulation phases of these substances. Due to a lack of consumption data required for these assessments, model diets have emerged as a practical solution. However, diets that more accurately reflect each country's consumption patterns provide a more reliable basis for calculating long‐term residue exposures and verifying established maximum residue limits. The definition of model diets based on a specific population allows for the prioritization of matrices for analysis and, consequently, monitoring program optimization, due to a more rigorous selection of food groups that may comprise residue exposure sources. This study aimed to assess the contribution of foods to cumulative priority pesticide residue exposure and propose model diets that reflect Brazilian food consumption patterns.

The present study considered a chemical compound risk classification and a sensitivity analysis to identify the foods that contribute most to pesticide residue exposure. The top five pesticide–crop combinations in the risk ranking were chlorpyrifos in citrus, banana and potato (score 168) and (2,4‐dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2,4‐D and methomyl in rice (score 140). Model diets were developed based on Brazilian dietary habits in accordance with exposure assessment principles and included the 22 foods considered most critical regarding pesticide exposure.

A practical simulation using selected pesticides demonstrated that conventional model diets may not yield the same results as the specific model diets proposed for Brazil. © 2026 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

A risk classification of registered pesticides in Brazil was conducted, and the contribution of food to cumulative pesticide exposure was evaluated. Model diets were proposed, based on Brazilian consumption patterns.

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