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

Recently changed insecticide residue limits for berries were based on 30-year-old consumption data, and Australians have dramatically increased their consumption of berries. Photograph: Michael Urban/DDP/AFP/Getty Images

The NSW Environment Protection Authority and the NSW Food 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.