No traces of banned chemical thiometon found in blueberries, NSW authorities say, contradicting previous claim

State EPA and food safety authority say no evidence of insecticide was found and researcher’s 2024 results were ‘unreliable’

The NSW Environment Protection Authority and the NSW Food Safety Authority have said blueberries are safe to eat after further testing did not detect any traces of banned chemical thiometon.

The presence of thiometon was first flagged by a researcher, Dr Kirsten Benkendorff at Southern Cross University in Coffs Harbour, after she tested punnets of blueberries bought at local supermarkets in 2024.

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