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Scientists advise peeling your fruit as pesticides remain after washing
No matter how much you wash your fresh produce, you could still be ingesting pesticides, as a recent study reveals the risk has nothing to do with cleanliness.
We’re constantly told about the importance of fruit in our diet, from ‘acid-reducing benefits that can lower heart and kidney disease risk, or the anti-aging properties in berries, but have you ever considered the dangers of pesticides? New research suggests it can’t be avoided by simply washing your produce before eating…
You may be ingesting pesticides from your fruit every day
Pesticides are�chemical substances used to kill pests, and coming into contact with large amounts of pesticides can be harmful. Although most produce contains some pesticide residue, food testing ensures that the levels of pesticides are low enough to not pose a risk to human health.
Although no washing method completely removes or kills all microbes that may be present, a USDA guide explains studies have shown�thoroughly rinsing fresh produce under running water is an effective way to reduce the number of microorganisms.
However, a new study says washing produce doesn’t protect you from pesticides.
The research notes that the pesticides penetrate the apple peel layer into the pulp layer, revealing that the risk of pesticide ingestion from fruits cannot be avoided by simple washing. But they did find peeling the fruit, say the apple, and a layer of pulp, was sufficient.
A report on Cellulose Surface Nanoengineering for Visualizing Food Safety published in Nano Letters provides a new idea for designing nanowrinkled structures and broadening cellulose utilization in food safety.
Most pesticide residues do not exceed the safety level
In the latest USDA (US Department of Agriculture) report on pesticides, findings show residues found on foods are nearly always at levels below the tolerance, or maximum amount of a pesticide allowed to remain in or on food. This level is set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In 2022, over 99 percent of the samples tested had residues below the tolerances established by
the EPA with 27.6 percent having no detectable residue.
So even if you are ingesting pesticides in your fruit and veg, it’s small and safe amounts.
