Pesticides and the Food We Eat:    

Why Are Pesticides Used:

• Pesticides are used to protect the food we eat from being affected by insects, rodents, weeds, mold, and bacteria.

Facts That You Should Know: 

• The use of pesticides throughout the world has increased by 50% over the past 30 years.
• 2.5 million tons of pesticides are applied annually
• Pesticides kill a large number of insects including the ones that prey on the destructive pests
• Use of pesticides contribute to:
  • domestic animal deaths
  • honey bee/pollination loss
  • groundwater contamination
  • decline in diversity of the bird and fish population

The Dangers of Pesticides:

• Ingestion is the most dangerous route for pesticide poisoning. The most frequently used pesticides are organophosphates and pyrethroids.
  • Organophosphate poisoning symptoms include: headache, dizzyness, nausea, anxiety, restlessness. More severe : muscle twitching, incoordination, sweating, weakness, tremor, vomiting, tearing, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, blurred vision, and salivation.
  • Pyrethroid is effective in high dosages. They have low toxicity because they are poorly absorbed and broken down efficiently and quickly. Poisoning symptoms include: tremor, incoordination, salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, paraesthesia (stinging, burning, tingling, numbness), and irritability to sound and touch.
• Infants and small children are most vulnerable to pesticide exposure. Due to a lower body weight, the pesticide affects the infants and small children much faster.

What's Being Done:

• The EPA set standards on the amount of pesticides allowed in the foods we eat
• In 1996, President Clinton started The Food Quality Protection Agency to set tougher standards on the pesticides allowed in food

What You Can Do to Protect Yourself and Your Family From Pesticides:

• Using fruit and vegetable washed, which are formulated to remove chemical residue from produce
  • Environne and Vitanet - available at health food stores and some supermarkets
  • Make your own using 1 tsp. of dish detergent per gallon of water
• Peeling fruits with high chemical residues (i.e. peaches, pears and apples)
• Buy organic!
• Grow your own fruits and vegetables.
• Eating canned fruits and vegetables. In the canning process, the produce is washed several times
• Buy produce directly from local farmers