Archived press release

Gender bending pesticide found in baby food

30 October 1999

A pesticide suspected of disrupting human hormone systems has been found in baby food, Friends of the Earth revealed today. Analysis of Government data on pesticide residues shows that the 'gender bending' chemical has also been discovered in a variety of fruit and vegetables including apples, peas, mushrooms, pears, tomatoes, yams, peaches,nectarines and oranges [1].

Carbendazim [2], a fungicide, was recently listed by the German Federal Government as a potential human hormone disrupting chemical [3]. It is known to disrupt hormones in rats.Although official safety levels were only breached in yams, it is feared that the disruption of hormone systems, including reproductive systems, may still occur. The fruit and veg named in the report was sold in supermarkets throughout the UK [4].

Government data shows contamination of baby food and fresh fruit and vegetables;

% samples containing carbendazim
Baby foods 6%
Apples 21%
Podded peas 4%
Mushrooms 13%
Pears 33%
Tomatoes 2%
Yams 75% (all breached Maximum Residue Level)
Peaches and nectarines 11%
Oranges <1%

Sandra Bell, Pesticides Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

“It's outrageous that pesticides which could cause long term damage to our children's development are being sprayed on our food. The Government must ban the use of Carbendazim at once.

[2] Carbendazim
Usage
This is the most commonly used fungicide in the UK.
It is registered for use as a fungicide on Brussels sprouts, blackcurrants, gooseberries, beans, lettuce, black berries, loganberries, raspberries, tomatoes, oilseed rape, cucumbers, pepper, strawberries, celery, onions,cherries, plums, apples, barley, wheat, winter rye, mushrooms, stored fruit, cabbages and potatoes.

Residues
Since 1995 it has been detected on UK apples, UK and imported celery, grapes, marmalade, UK and imported pears, apricots, bananas, imported cucumbers, mixed dried fruit, retail and 'pick your own' gooseberries,peaches, imported and 'pick your own' strawberries, imported tomato products, clementines and UK green beans. In the 1998 MAFF & industry surveys, residues were detected in several samples of UK and imported apples, as well as in some samples of tomatoes, grapes, lemons, lettuce and mango.
Carbendazim has also been detected in processed products such as fruit based infant food, canned fruit, fruit squash and fruit juice.
Toxicity
Carbendazim disrupts the production of sperm and damages testicular development in adult rats. In addition,carbendazim is a teratogen _ damaging development of mammals in the womb. Rats developing in the womb and exposed to Carbendazim, have been found to suffer from deformities such as lack of eyes and hydrocephalus (“water on the brain”)See footnote 11
[3] “Industry glimpses new challanges as endocrine science advances” ENDS, 290, March 1999

[4] Companies supplying produce containing pesticide residues include:
Baby food - Cow and Gate, Heinz
Apples - Asda, CWS, Iceland, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury's, Tesco
Podded peas (mange tout) - Sainsbury's, (sugar snap peas) Tesco
Mushrooms - Morrisons and Safeway
Pears - Asda, CWS, Morrisons, Safeway, Sainsbury, Somerfield, Tesco
Tomatoes - Asda (includes vinclozolin another hormone disrupting product)
Yams - Asda, Somerfield, Tesco
Peaches and nectarines - Marks and Spencers, Tesco
Oranges - Marks and Spencers

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust