Pesticides
In September 2009, the 2008 annual report of pesticide residues on food in the UK was published . Of the 4,129 samples tested, 50 (1.2%) contained a residue that was above the legal maximum residue level (MRL).
Limits are set to ensure that any traces of pesticides left on food are at safe levels. The MRLs are the maximum amount of residues that should be found on food when the pesticides are being used correctly. The report states that foods with traces of pesticides above the MRL do not necessarily mean that the levels of residues are harmful to people’s health.
Ian Brown, the Chairman of the Committee, writes in his introduction “I understand that people are concerned about pesticide residues in their food, but as a doctor I cannot state too strongly the importance of eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Scientific evidence shows that the health benefits are far greater than the risk from pesticide residues.”
I always find these type of statements a little worrying. Mr Brown implies that there are some risks from consuming pesticide residues but does not outline what they may be. I suspect that the official line is similar to that regarding food additives - the benefits of using the chemicals outweighs the problems some people may have with them.
Wouldn’t the food be even healthier for us if it didn’t contain pesticide reisudes? Surely consuming these chemicals places a stress on the body as the body has to process and eliminate them.
Anyway, here's a summary of their main findings.
In 2008, 4129 samples were tested for many different pesticides. “In total we tested for over 606,000 food and pesticide combinations. Of the pesticides we looked for, we found that:
- 53.8% of samples contained no residues we looked for;
- 45% of samples contained residues below the MRL; and
- 1.2% of samples contained residues above the MRL.”
Fruits and Vegetables
Residues above the MRL were found in apples, beans in pods, chilli peppers, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, grapes, melons, oranges, pears, peas in pods, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes and yams. The two foods that were by far the worst offenders were beans in pods and yams.
Cereals and Grains
Out of 216 samples of bread 111 samples contained one or more residues of chlormequat (a growth regulator used to stop cereal crops growing too tall and falling over making it difficult to harvest), glyphosate (used to dry wheat, to help with harvesting and storage), pirimiphos-methyl or malathion (insecticides that are used on stored grain and on other stored foods).
Out of 72 samples of breakfast cereals, 34 contained one or more residues. Residues of chlormequat, glyphosate, malathion and pirimiphos-methyl which are commonly used on cereal crops. There were residues of iprodione, procymidone and thiabendazole, which originated from the fruit component of the breakfast cereals. Residues of chlormequat and glyphosate were found in samples of breakfast cereals labelled as organic.
Three samples of rice contained residues above the MRL.
Meat
Out of 108 samples of sausages, 27 contained a residue of pirimiphos-methyl. “This pesticide is used on stored grain so may have come from cereal-based ingredients used in the sausages.” DDT was found in seven samples of lamb's liver. DDT has been banned for use as a pesticide in Europe for many years, but it is still in the environment from when it was approved and from use in other countries. “All these samples were from New Zealand and the results are consistent with previous surveys of New Zealand lamb.
DDT was also found in one sample of duck and one sample of pork sausages.
Out of 109 samples of oily fish, 58 samples contained residues. The pesticides found were dieldrin, DDT and beta-hexachlorohexane (insecticides which are banned for use in Europe). “Like DDT, these pesticides, remain in the environment for a long time so it is likely that the residues we detected come from historical use.”
Baby Food
Baby food containing meat, fish, egg or cheese was analysed. Out of 35 samples they found residues of diphenylamine in 7 samples. “None of the residues detected would be expected to have an effect on health.”
Other Foods
No residues were found in samples of coffee.
Out of 72 samples of nuts, 29 samples contained residues. They found biphenyl (an insecticide) in one sample. 29 samples contained inorganic bromide. “In some crops, including nuts, inorganic bromide is naturally present at low levels. We believe that the inorganic bromide in this survey occurred naturally and not from the use of methyl bromide.”
Nine out of 48 samples of tomato products contained residues. One of these contained a residue of chlormequat which is not approved for use on tomatoes in the EU.
Out of 72 samples of wine 40 samples contained residues. All the residues detected are commonly used on grapes.
Organic
242 (5.9%) of the samples tested were labelled as organic. 15 of them contained pesticide residues, 11 of these products came from outside of the UK.
References
All the quotes in the above article come from the Annual Report of
the Pesticide Residues Committee 2008
http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/uploadedfiles/Web_Assets/PRC/PRC_Annual_Report_2008.pdf