The nation’s favorite fruits contain the highest level of pesticide residues according to the latest Dirty Dozen classification.
Green, red and black grapes are three of the UK’s five favorite fruits, but headlines this year’s ‘Dirty Dozen’, a list of fruits and vegetables with the highest level of pesticide residues, compiled with UK Government Evidence Figures.
The list, which ranks fresh produce most likely to contain pesticide cocktails, has grapes at the top of the list, closely followed by oranges, raisins and sultanas – all family favorites. Non-organic fruits and vegetables are grown with herbicides and pesticides to control pests and diseases, both of which are prohibited in organic food production.
The tests revealed that more than 80 percent of each of these four elements contained residues of more than one pesticide. In all, 122 different pesticides were found in the Dirty Dozen, with 25 chemicals found in just a one-kilogram sample of sultana raisins.
Many of these are classified by the UN as highly hazardous pesticides (HHP’s), and although they are found in small amounts in these foods, they are classified as the most harmful to human health or the environment.
Of the 122 chemicals found in the samples, many have health effects, such as links to cancer, birth defects, developmental disorders and impairment of the respiratory system, or adverse effects on sexual function and fertility.
Nick Mole from Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK) said: “These figures highlight the wide range of chemicals we are exposed to on a daily basis through our diet. While safety limits continue to be set for only one pesticide at a time, evidence is mounting that chemicals can combine to be more toxic, a phenomenon known as cocktail effect. “
PAN UK calls on the government to expand and strengthen its residue testing program and to fund research on the human health effects of exposure to pesticide cocktails in food.
“Consumers assume that their food has been rigorously tested and that if an item is available for sale in the UK it must be safe,” added Mole. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case. In fact, we have very limited knowledge of the long-term human health impacts of consuming small amounts of dozens of different pesticides every day of our lives. “
It’s not just humans who are affected by the artificial pesticides found in this year’s Dirty Dozen. Many of these substances are listed in the University of Hertfordshire Pesticide Properties Database What groundwater pollutants, which can affect aquatic biodiversity and the quality of drinking water. One is a neonicotinoid, acetamiprid, which is highly toxic to birds, earthworms, and can even threaten the health of bees.
The news comes as a campaign to ban urban pesticides the one that aimed to get toxic chemicals out of towns and green spaces in the city was rejected by parliament. In response, biology professor and author Dave Goulson said: “DEFRA’s response does not recognize that we are in an environmental crisis, the sixth mass extinction event, with accelerated extinction rates and collapse of global biodiversity. This “trust us, everything is fine” approach will no longer wash away. Complacency and inaction are not an option.
“Finally, DEFRA’s response barely acknowledges that this petition focuses on the use of pesticides in gardens and urban areas, not their use in agriculture. The government talk about promoting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is not relevant here, as they are not doing anything to promote IPM in gardens ”.
The alternative is an increase in organic and agroecological agriculture, where synthetic pesticides are prohibited. PAN UK is also requesting a support package to help UK farmers reduce their use of pesticides, thereby reducing residues in food.
Of the 12 types of fruits and vegetables in last year’s Dirty Dozen, the government tasted only three this time. Strawberries, lemons, and prepackaged salad, which topped the list above, were not tested. Beyond fruit and vegetables, 94 percent of oats tested positive for multiple residues last year, but they were not retested this year.
“The UK government only tests around 3,000 food samples for pesticides every year,” Mole said. “They justify this by arguing that further testing is unnecessary because they have a risk-based system that focuses on foods that are likely to pose a threat. But they have not actually been able to test three-quarters of the product of interest for the year. last “.