The environmental lobby group Friends of the Earth has released a new report The Dose Makes the Poison?, which highlights the Australian fruit and vegetables most at risk to pesticide residues.
The research also names the pesticides most commonly detected in Australian foods.
According to the research, the most risky foods are: apples, wheat, strawberries, pears, grapes, nectarines, peaches and bread.
The most risky imported food over the past two years was Chinese peanut butter.
Friends of the Earth researcher Anthony Amis said; “Our members were asking what foods are the most risky in terms of pesticide residues and what pesticides are detected on non-organic foods.”
The research assessed all publicly available residue testing over the past decade.
“The data collected was limited, with Victoria providing the best information, but even so, standardised testing is not carried out on all food groups every year in Victoria and the sample size for many foods tested in Victoria is alarmingly small” said Mr Amis.
The most commonly detected pesticide was the fungicide Iprodione, followed by the organophosphate (OP) insecticides Chlorpyifos and Chlorpyrifos Methyl and the synergist Piperonyl Butoxide.
Organophosphate pesticides were the most commonly detected type of pesticide at 28 per cent.
Insecticides accounted for 49.5 per cent of all detections, followed by fungicides 32.1 per cent, syngerists 5.6 per cent and herbicides 4.1 per cent.
Friends of the Earth also researched recently published scientific reports regarding health effects of pesticides, particularly on children younger than seven years of age.
“OP pesticides have been linked with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, learning and behavioural problems in children including lower IQ’s,” Mr Amis said.
“Also of concern was that of the 125 pesticides detected on Australian produce, 45 per cent are suspected endocrine disruptors.
“A number of health problems are associated with endocrine disrupting chemicals, including lowered fertility, abnormal genitals in baby boys and decreased sperm counts in men” said Mr Amis.
“Long term exposure to pesticides has also been linked with some cancers and Parkinsons Disease”.
“Alarmingly, the impacts of endocrine disrupting chemicals, can be greatest at very low levels, lower than the levels commonly regarded as being safe by regulatory agencies.
“This is one of the regulatory systems greatest failings” said Mr Amis
Mr Amis added that for these reasons Friends of the Earth recommended that shoppers buy organic food where possible.
A copy of the report can be downloaded here.
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