Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture found just half of tested agricultural products to be fully compliant with pesticide norms. Several fruits, including pineapples, papayas and mangoes, contained residue from banned and restricted chemicals.

Published in Brazil's official daily, Diário Oficial da União, the ministry's research examined 13 agricultural products: pineapples, peanuts, rice, coffee, Brazil nuts,  beans, papaya, mango, corn, soybeans, tomatoes, wheat and grapes.

The findings come as a result of a monitoring program run by the Control Plan for Plant Product Residues and Contaminants (PNCRC/Vegetal) during the 2012-13 crop year.

The program seeks to monitor residue levels on imported and domestically produced products for illegal substances or violations of maximum limits.

In addition to pesticide violations, the research found just 80% of products to be compliant with the use of organic contaminants.

Pineapples from Minas Gerais performed the worst of any product. Of six samples taken from the state, zero were found to comply with residue standards. Both samples taken from Tocantins were compliant.

Carbendazim, which was at the center of last year's blockade of Brazilian orange juice by U.S. authorities, was found on pineapples in Minas Gerais even though it is prohibited for use on the crop. Residues of Cipermetrina, Pimetrozina and Tetraconazol were also found on pineapples in the state, along with banned pesticide Triclorfon.

Papaya also showed several violations. Of 40 samples taken from Bahia, Espírito Santo and Rio Grande do Norte, 27 met residue standards. With 58.3% compliance, Bahia was the lowest ranked state.

Papayas came with three chemicals not permitted for the crop, including Carbendazim in Bahia, Espírito Santo and Rio Grande do Norte, Trifloxixtrobina in Bahia and Carbofurano in Espírito Santo.

Of the 15 mangoes tested from Bahia and Minas Gerais, a third of samples failed compliance standards.

For mangoes, fruit in Minas Gerais was found to contain banned pesticide Ometoato, as well as crop-prohibited pesticides Lambda-Cialotrina, Carbendazim, Fenvalerato and Esfenvalerato.

Tomatoes from Rio Grande do Sul saw three violations, giving the state 40% compliance. Bahia and Minas Gerais reached 100% performance for the fruit.

Tomatoes in Rio Grande do Sul had traces of banned pesticide Ometoato and traces of crop-prohibited pesticide Carbendazim.

Several commodities saw no violations, including grapes, soybeans and rice.

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