Transfer Behaviors of 30 Pesticide Residues during the Common Processing of Ginseng

To reduce safety issues of ginseng products caused by excessive pesticide levels, this paper systematically elucidates the transfer rules of pesticides during processing by calculating the transfer rates and processing factors (PFs). The common methods of ginseng processing (water extraction, alcohol extraction, concentration, water extraction and alcohol precipitation, vacuum drying, freeze drying, spray drying) and 30 pesticides frequently occurring in ginseng were used as research objects. The results indicate that the pesticide residues in alcohol extract are much higher than those in water extract. During water extraction and alcohol precipitation, 93.2% of pesticides are transferred to the upper ethanol solution. Besides, drying could reduce the total amount but increase the concentration of pesticide residues. Water extraction-concentration-spray drying (PF ranges from 0.01 to 0.36) and alcohol extraction-concentration-vacuum drying (PF ranges from 1.10 to 3.70) are the processing methods with the lowest and highest pesticide processing factors, respectively.