"There is no reason to panic people about pesticides, "says Ariel Fenster, professor of chemistry at McGill University.
Photo: Ivanhoe Demers, La Presse
| | Marie Allard Press |
Pesticide residues were found in 21% of fruits and vegetables tested by the Canadian Food Inspection from 2002 to 2005. But there is no need to panic, according to the National Institute of Public Health (INSPQ), who revealed this information in early February.
Only 1% of the food had high pesticide residues exceeding the standards set by Health Canada, "which is rather reassuring," said Onil Samuel, and environmental science adviser and coordinator of the report INSPQ.
Pesticides have been found "primarily in cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and celery, "said Samuel. Among the fruits, "strawberries, apples, blueberries, grapes, pears, oranges and grapefruit" were most likely to contain, he said.
Health Canada has detected carbaryl - a probable carcinogen - in 49% of apple juice and 82% grape juice analyzed in 2004 and 2006. Another striking example of all apple orchards in Quebec analyzed 2006 and 2007 "contained captan or organophosphates, even if the deadlines between watering and gathering were respected," the report reveals. These fungicides insecticides are potential carcinogens with genotoxic potential. Fortunately, few pesticides were found in meat and eggs. Cocktails
pesticide
"Some pesticides were among the most commonly measured have toxic long-term," the study said. Effects "on the development or reproduction, genotoxicity, endocrine disruption and potential carcinogenicity" have been observed in animal studies, it is argued. Manufactured
more disturbing: a food can hide a cocktail of pesticides. A peanut butter purchased by Health Canada in Montreal in 1993 contained 15 different kinds of pesticides, chocolate bars concealed in 11, had 9 cookies, etc.. "Potential effects of exposure to many different molecules are not known and in this sense, we must remain cautious," observed Mr. Samuel.
The same pesticide may also be present in many foods, increasing consumer exposure to this product. Benomyl was found in 7 of 16 7 of 13 vegetables and fruits used in Canada from 2002 to 2005. However, benomyl has confirmed effects on reproduction and development, besides being a possible carcinogen and to have genotoxic potential, the report said.
"There is no reason to panic people about pesticides, told The Press Ariel Fenster, professor of chemistry at McGill University. One of the basic principles of toxicology is that the dose makes the poison. But the cocktail effect is to further study. Is that very small quantities, isolated, pose no problem, could cause put together? We do not know. "
Wash and eat organic foods
What? Always wash your foods, which extract a "significant part" of pesticide residues, according to Mr. Samuel. Improve the monitoring programs of pesticide residues - and make them more transparent, as Quebec and Canada keep secret their most recent results, regrets INSPQ.
Improve training in agronomy and promote organic agriculture - whose growth appears to lag behind in Quebec - are other courses of action in favor. It has been "demonstrated that organic products could limit exposure to pesticides," says the study.
What not to do? "It is important not to reduce its consumption of fruits and vegetables for fear of being exposed to traces of pesticides, warned Mr. Samuel. The benefits of consuming these foods are certainly more important than the risks. "
Source: http://www.cyberpresse.ca/vivre/sante/201102/25/01-4373817-des-residus-de -pesticides-in-20-of-fruit-and-legumes.php
Pesticides have been found "primarily in cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and celery, "said Samuel. Among the fruits, "strawberries, apples, blueberries, grapes, pears, oranges and grapefruit" were most likely to contain, he said.
Health Canada has detected carbaryl - a probable carcinogen - in 49% of apple juice and 82% grape juice analyzed in 2004 and 2006. Another striking example of all apple orchards in Quebec analyzed 2006 and 2007 "contained captan or organophosphates, even if the deadlines between watering and gathering were respected," the report reveals. These fungicides insecticides are potential carcinogens with genotoxic potential. Fortunately, few pesticides were found in meat and eggs. Cocktails
pesticide
"Some pesticides were among the most commonly measured have toxic long-term," the study said. Effects "on the development or reproduction, genotoxicity, endocrine disruption and potential carcinogenicity" have been observed in animal studies, it is argued. Manufactured
more disturbing: a food can hide a cocktail of pesticides. A peanut butter purchased by Health Canada in Montreal in 1993 contained 15 different kinds of pesticides, chocolate bars concealed in 11, had 9 cookies, etc.. "Potential effects of exposure to many different molecules are not known and in this sense, we must remain cautious," observed Mr. Samuel.
The same pesticide may also be present in many foods, increasing consumer exposure to this product. Benomyl was found in 7 of 16 7 of 13 vegetables and fruits used in Canada from 2002 to 2005. However, benomyl has confirmed effects on reproduction and development, besides being a possible carcinogen and to have genotoxic potential, the report said.
"There is no reason to panic people about pesticides, told The Press Ariel Fenster, professor of chemistry at McGill University. One of the basic principles of toxicology is that the dose makes the poison. But the cocktail effect is to further study. Is that very small quantities, isolated, pose no problem, could cause put together? We do not know. "
Wash and eat organic foods
What? Always wash your foods, which extract a "significant part" of pesticide residues, according to Mr. Samuel. Improve the monitoring programs of pesticide residues - and make them more transparent, as Quebec and Canada keep secret their most recent results, regrets INSPQ.
Improve training in agronomy and promote organic agriculture - whose growth appears to lag behind in Quebec - are other courses of action in favor. It has been "demonstrated that organic products could limit exposure to pesticides," says the study.
What not to do? "It is important not to reduce its consumption of fruits and vegetables for fear of being exposed to traces of pesticides, warned Mr. Samuel. The benefits of consuming these foods are certainly more important than the risks. "
Source: http://www.cyberpresse.ca/vivre/sante/201102/25/01-4373817-des-residus-de -pesticides-in-20-of-fruit-and-legumes.php
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