Chemical residues and contaminants in food products are continuing to decline, a Food Safety Authority survey has found.
The finding is contained in the authority's latest total diet study, a five-yearly survey that includes testing residue levels in commonly eaten foods.
The first round of tests covered more than 60 regional foods from supermarkets and shops in Auckland, Napier, Christchurch and Dunedin.
From 60,000 analyses it found only one sample where a residue was slightly above the maximum limit - tomatoes from Napier containing the pesticide azaconazole.
But the authority says the residue was still well below a level that would raise any health or safety concerns.
Project manager Cherie Flynn says the studies have been running since the late 1970s.
Ms Flynn says they have shown a trend of declining chemical residues.
