Pesticides?

Question

Does anyone know what is in the pesticides on our fruit and veg and what, if any, affect they can have on our bodies?

Tubs of fruit, eg Tesco, often state to wash before use, this is not always possible and when it is, does a quick rinse under the tap remove the chemicals anyway??

Answer 1

i do not know the chemical compositions off hand but i do know this

the people answering here i do not believe have worked with pesticdes or herbicides
in africa many people have died because the used the containers for water after having washed them repeated ly

spraying crops does not only spray the produce it also sprays the ground
and the rains especially if the land is cleared washes the mud impregnated with pesticides and herbicides into the water of the rivers .this water is purified ofr people drinkit straight ,i can kill fish at the worst and at best canges the PH of the water ,purification does not compensate for this
and as an result people devellop cancer ,have deformed babies or babies who are sexually altered mbecause of the raise in PH.
In Mexico where there are no laws to the contrary are over 4 million.andicapped people ,so many that they even can have their own olympic games.

you cannot wash chemical completely from matter that is soft and absorbing ,such as potatoes ,oranges ,tomatoes etc.

only eat guaranteed organically grown produce
most of the civilized first world countries are already aware of this especially the youth
.
and the people who say other wise must be wanting to sell the contaminated stuff.

i was in a town who grew vegetable with raw sewage and pesticides ,50 % of the people in town were sick according to the doctors
and everybody was washing their potatoes with detergents ,and soap ,this does not help very much potatoes absorb water

in the town that i am now they have discoverd 9 types of parasites and many ilnesses ,from intestinal ,skin and eye problem all relating to contaminated water ,,contaminated by pesticides ,herbicides ,and raw sewage

so forget about rinsing quick or slow
buy organically grown food only
and even with that is a lot of fraudulant behaviour.

i find that the safest way these days to eat is to grow it yourself

Answer 2

There is no simple answer to this question.

It depends on the crop, the chemicals used, how much is used, how long until the product reaches the consumer, and how you wash.

In the US, there is regulation of pesticides, and the most hazardous chemicals either cannot be used or they are supposed to used in specified ways to reduce the risk to consumers. In other countries, there are no regulations (or if regulations exist, they can be ignored.) Regardless of whether produce comes from California, Mexico, or Chile, there is very little testing to verify that pesticide residues are at safe levels.

But back to basics. Pesticides are expensive, and farmers want to use only enough to ensure a good crop without spending any more than needed. No grower wants to risk having their crop banned or their reputation ruined by a public health scare. The best pesticides are non-persistent and break down quickly before crops come to market. In general, pesticide contamination of food is not a large problem or a major threat to public health in the US (Ref 1). Much more of a threat than pesticide residues in food is microbial contamination that can cause food poisoning.

But certainly there are exceptions: farmers outside the US who may use persistent chemicals, farmers who use too much pesticide or use it too soon before harvest.

In general, quick rinsing with tap water does very little to remove pesticides. Most produce has already been rinsed or misted before it reaches the consumer. Washing fruits and veggies with detergents and/or mechanical methods (brushing) would be needed to effectively remove pesticides, and this is often not practical. Still, FDA recommends washing (Ref 2).

Answer 3

most chemical insectises aren't harmful to the human body some may cause a slite digestive discomfort as reported in some cases but pesticides are relatively harmless to humans but if you aren't sure make sure you wash your fruit and veg thourally and this does remove pesticides