Herbicides and insecticides are the main pesticides used in oil palm plantations. Being relatively cheap, insecticides such as ^-cyhalothin are often used to protect the oil palm against leaf-eating insects. However, insecticides may have adverse effects on the environment and human health, and the presence of insecticide residues in food and food ingredients is of great concern. As such, reliable analytical methods for the detection and quantification of insecticide residues in palm oil and palm kernel oil are needed to safe-guard public health.

Main Research: Dr Halimah Muhamad