Dietary risk assessment of pesticide residues on Tremella fuciformis Berk (snow fungus) from Fujian Province of China

To assess the dietary exposure risks of pesticide residues in snow fungus for the general population and young children, 91 snow fungus samples were collected from major production areas in Fujian Province, China and the presence of 44 pesticides was determined. A total of thirteen pesticides were detected; 65.9% of the samples contained one or more pesticide residues. The most frequently found pesticide was carbofuran, followed by acetamiprid and then imidacloprid. Data obtained were used for chronic, acute, and chronic cumulative dietary exposure risk assessments. The chronic hazard quotient (cHQ) was extremely low for both the general population and young children. The %ADI values of cumulative dietary exposures to organophosphorus pesticides and carbamates ranged from 0.53% to 1.49%, and did not exceed their corresponding ADIs. However, the acute dietary risks from all 13 pesticides, especially carbofuran and methamidophos, were of concern due to the relatively high acute hazard quotient. The risk ranking scheme showed that carbofuran could pose a high risk to snow fungus consumers. Finally, suggestions are made about the potential use in snow fungus cultivation of the pesticides with detected residues.