Kazi Zahidul Hasan :
A government laboratory test has detected presence of high level of pesticides and toxic chemicals in winter vegetables.
The National Food Safety Laboratory under Institute of Public Health (IPH) carried out the test recently and found Organophosphate agents like ‘Chlorpyrifos, ‘Parathion Methyl’ and ‘Malathion’ in winter vegetables, especially in cauliflower and spinach.
“Pesticide exposure was particularly high in cauliflower and spinage and their safety consumption benchmarks exceeded from four to 36 multiplier,” said the IPH lab test report.
Before conducting the test, it collected cauliflower and spinage samples from growers, wholesalers and retailers.
It has found presence of Malathion 251 microgram in per kilogram (kg) cauliflower, and Chlorpyrifos 1605 microgram
at growers’ level. The normal level of safety consumption for Malathion is 20 microgram and it is 50 microgram for Chlorpyrifos. That means the two pesticides which are used for growing cauliflower exceeded by 12 and 32 multiplier respectively.
Similarly, the test found presence of 89 microgram ‘Parathion Methyl’ and 170 microgram Chlorpyrifos for per kilogram (kg) cauliflower at wholesale level.
Their safety consumption level is 10 microgram.
The retail Chlorpyrifos level was, however, 520 microgram for per kg cauliflower.
Chlorpyrifos level for per kg spinage was 1577 microgram and its normal level is 50 microgram, showing an excessive level of 31 multiplier.
“Pesticides are being used randomly for growing vegetables and such a use is posing serious threat to the public health, especially for children,” Prof Dr Mahmudur Rahman, Director, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research told the New Nation on Thursday.
He warned that children could be affected by ‘cumulative risk’ of pesticide exposure from dietary consumption. This can lead them to the risk of cancer in later life.
“Even, dietary consumption sometimes leads to death of children,” he added.
Prof Rahman also said, we need to be especially careful about children because they tend to be more vulnerable to many of these chemicals and their effects on the developing brain.
“Contaminated food intake mixed with toxic chemicals could also lead to liver and kidney diseases and put an adverse impact of nervous system of human body,” he said.
When asked, he said, some pesticides can be removed from fruits and vegetables through washing them properly and light scrubbing.
