Latest pesticide results bad news for children14 March 2002
The Pesticides Residues Committee show that processed food popular with children such as cereal bars are often laced with pesticide residues. Some of these pesticide residues are above legal limits, and in once case levels exceeded the safety limits set for toddlers. Residues over legal limits included organophosphates and pesticides with very strong evidence of being able to disrupt the hormone system. The findings show that 71 per cent of cereal bars contained residues, including Kellogg's Nutri-Grain and Mars Tracker and 28 per cent of breakfast cereals contained residues including Kellogg's Healthwise 45 per cent of crisps contained residues, including Walkers crisps and Hula Hoops.
High levels of Chlorpyrifos were found in star fruit - this organophosphate pesticide has been severely restricted in the US due to concerns about children's health. It has been linked in studies to brain defects in young rats.
Over half of grapes (56 per cent), nearly half (47 per cent) of nectarines, about a third of peaches(32 per cent) contained pesticide residues Iprodione, a hormone disrupting pesticides, was found in 29 per cent nectarines, and was also found in kiwi fruit.
Carbendazim, also a hormone disrupter was found at levels above the MRL in a mango sample from Sainsbury's and dithiocarbamates, also thought to have hormone disrupting properties, were found at levels above the MRL in a mango from Tesco 21 per cent of peaches contained the organophosphate pesticide fenitrothion. The safety level (Acute Reference Dose) for toddlers was exceeded in a sample of nectarines (methamidophos) from Waitress.
Sandra Bell, Pesticides Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: "These results are bad news for children. Foods like cereal bars and crisps, which many children like to eat, were found to contain hidden pesticides. Even more worryingly, is that the very foods which children should be eating more of in the interests of a healthy diet contained pesticides which have been linked to brain damage and hormone disruption - and some were over legal limits. Young children need extra protection from pesticide residues - retailers and food companies have a responsibility to get these dodgy chemicals out of the food that children eat".
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