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Will you be eating healthier in the coming days after all those holidays? Pesticides can stick to your fruit and even penetrate the fruit. Is that dangerous and can you do something about it?
During cultivation, pesticides are used on various types of fruit and vegetables to protect the crops; against insects and against the weather, for example. Moreover, your apple makes quite a journey before it ends up in your fruit bowl. So it is important that you greens wash it well before consuming it.
Can you remove all pesticides by washing your fruit?
An apple a day, keeps the doctor away. However? But what about the pesticides on fruit? Does washing help against the agricultural poison on it? Food safety expert at the Nutrition Center Wieke van der Vossen says Everyday Questions not. ‘Washing fruit and vegetables is always a good idea, because of possible bacteria and viruses, but you cannot simply wash off the pesticides. They are made in such a way that they adhere really well to the fruit: they must also be able to withstand a rain shower. Sometimes it even penetrates through the peel into the fruit.’
Which fruits are pesticides used on?
Food watchdog Foodwatch is particularly concerned about the pesticides that, according to the organization, can be permanently found in non-organic fruits. ‘Mandarins, oranges, grapes and strawberries were the most contaminated; kiwis the least,” according to a 2021 Foodwatch count. Early birds reported that too high a concentration of one or more pesticides was found on apples, oranges and table grapes. According to Foodwatch, there is little or no action, partly because the producers lack the basis for this and ‘tightened health standards are not translated quickly enough into new legal standards’.
Are organic products free of pesticides?
You can make the choice to buy as many organic products as possible. These are according to Box also sprayed, but natural products are used for this. Think of copper and sulphur. It is also best to rinse products from organic farming before eating them. You can rinse them under the tap with water. According to the Nutrition Center, the use of soap, vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaning products is unnecessary.
Should you worry about pesticides seeping into the fruit?
“There is very strict legislation when it comes to pesticides,” says Van der Vossen. ‘Limits have been agreed in Europe on what pesticide residues may be left on fruit and vegetables. And fortunately we see in all analyzes that almost all fruit and vegetables meet this requirement.’ To prevent you from ingesting too many residues, the law sets a maximum amount for each pesticide that may remain on fruit and vegetables. The chance that such a residue poses a risk to your health is very small, he said Box. So you can eat your fruit and vegetables with peace of mind.
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2024-01-06 06:04:23
#pesticides #fruit #vegetables #dangerous #BNNVARA
