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Reduce
your family's exposure to pesticides
April 17, 03
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
Health
professionals agree that most of us
should radically increase our consumption
of fruits and vegetables. But concerns
about the effects of pesticide residues
merit caution in the way you buy and
prepare these foods.
Little research is available to document
the health risk of eating foods treated
with pesticides. Nevertheless, many
people consider it prudent – until
we know more – to take whatever
steps are practical to reduce exposure to
the chemicals.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
says that as much as 35 percent of foods
tested contain pesticide residues,
according to a 1999 report. About 2
percent of those exceeded allowable
limits, including blackberries, kale,
okra, and mustard greens.
Babies and young children are believed to
be especially susceptible to harm from
pesticide residues. They have immature
organ systems, and relative to their
weight, they eat and drink more than
adults do, increasing their risk of
exposure to contaminants.
Kid-favorite foods identified in a 2000
Consumers Union report that were likely
to contain relatively high levels of
pesticide residues included winter
squash, peaches, apples, pears, grapes,
green beans, strawberries, and
cantaloupe. Some pesticides banned in the
1970s still linger in some farm soil and
show up on crops, including spinach,
sweet potatoes and soybeans, according to
Consumers Union.
The fewest residues are likely to be
found in bananas, broccoli, canned
peaches, canned and frozen peas, canned
and frozen corn, orange juice, apple
juice, and grape juice.
What can you do to reduce your exposure
to pesticide residues? Plenty. Begin by
choosing low-residue foods. Also:
• Wash and scrub all fresh fruits
and vegetables. Soaking is fine to loosen
dirt and debris, but studies have shown
that running water is the most effective
means of physically removing pesticide
residues as well as dirt and bacteria.
Scrubbing with a soft brush can help
remove contaminants in crevices.
Commercial produce washes were shown in
one study to be only slightly more
effective than plain running water in
removing residues and may not be worth
the extra money
• Peel produce that is likely to
have high levels of pesticide residue.
Throw out the outer leaves of leafy
vegetables.
• Buy organic. A recent study at the
University of Washington found that
children who ate mostly organically grown
fruits and vegetables had only one-sixth
the amount of pesticide by-products in
their urine as compared to children who
ate conventionally grown foods. If you're
worried about the cost of organics,
consider buying organic varieties of just
the foods that have been shown to be more
likely to have high levels of residues.
Also, as I’ve discussed previously,
a practical option in the Triangle is to
join a CSA farm. My family is expecting
our first home delivery of this
season’s locally grown organic
produce next week. Visit the Carolina
Farm Stewardship Association's website
for information at www.carolinafarmstewards.org.
• Eat a variety of fruits and
vegetables. If your produce isn’t
organically grown, eating a mix of foods
from a variety of sources can minimize
your risk of ingesting too much of any
one pesticide.
• Don’t spurn imports. It may
surprise you to learn that produce grown
in the U.S. is more likely to contain
higher levels of pesticide residues than
imported produce, according to Consumers
Union. Exceptions include fresh tomatoes,
strawberries, and spinach from Mexico,
apples from New Zealand, and peaches,
pears, and grapes from Chile. A report
card for pesticide regulation issued by
Consumers Union in 2001 gave the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency a grade
of D for reducing dietary risks
associated with pesticide residues on
foods grown in the U.S., citing
"slow progress, and much of the task
incomplete."
Despite the potential health risks of
pesticide residues, the health advantages
of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables
are likely far greater. So load up on
fruits and vegetables to protect your
health. At the same time, minimize your
exposure to unwanted contaminants by
choosing your foods wisely and taking
some simple steps to prepare them.
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