foodconsumer.org: Are the fruit and vegetables you eat safe? (PR)

Are the fruit and vegetables you eat safe? (PR)
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admin on 09/30/2009 01:29:00
 
Editor's note:
A media report can be found at The Telegraph September 24, 2009. Please note
that at least one statement in the news report is inaccurate or misleading.
Exposure to pesticides actually does not just cause allergies and skin
reactions.  Studies have suggested that the consequences can be much much much
more severe than mild allergies or skin reactions.
The report is intended for goverment officials about the status of pesticides in
the produce sold in the U.K.  However, the problem does not  affect the U.K.
alone   The same thing can occur in the United States.  Thanks to the
Environmental Working Group, we now know that some fruits and vegetables carry
much higher levels of pesticides than others.  For instance, potatoes and apples
are the two that contain highest amounts of toxic pesticides while banana and
kiwi are two fruits that carry the lowest levels of pesticides.
Just because pesticides are allowed to use does not mean that they are safe. 
Rumor has it that a dozen out of a 3 or 4 dozens of pesticides currently allowed
in the United States are cancer-causing agents. In any case, high levels are
occasionally found in fruit and vegetables, but the consequences are subject to
everyone's explanation depending upon whom you want to believe.
Those who want to learn more about the pesticide levels in fruits and vegetables
sold in the U.S. should visit www.foodnews.org  Not all fruits and vegetables
are produced to be the same in terms of pesticides.
The following news release is from a UK health agency at
http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2009/e09084.htm
PESTICIDE RESIDUES COMMITTEE PUBLISH 2008 ANNUAL REPORT
Date: 24 September 2009
Release No: E084:09
The Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC) publishes their 2008 annual report today.
 Key findings are that residues found this year are unlikely to affect people's
health, even vulnerable groups such as older people and children.
Chairman of the PRC, Dr Ian Brown, said: "The results of the 2008 monitoring
programme show we did not detect any pesticide residues in 53.8% of the food we
sampled and 1.2% contained residues above the permitted maximum levels. We
carried out full risk assessments of these cases, which included looking at the
most vulnerable people such as children and the elderly.  This year, as in all
recent years, nearly all the residues we found were not likely to affect
people's health.  However, we must follow up any problems we identify to
maintain the high standards of protection we currently have."
He added: "Since 2002 there has been a significant development in the scope of
the testing programme. We can now look for more pesticides at much lower levels.
 Consequently, we have found more residues BUT not higher levels of
non-compliance.  The testing programme demonstrates that the vast majority of
food available to UK consumers is compliant with pesticides legislation and is
not likely to pose a risk to consumer health."
"I can understand that some people have concerns about pesticide residues in
their food, but as a doctor I cannot overemphasise the importance of continuing
to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.  Scientific
evidence shows that the health benefits of this far outweigh any concerns about
pesticide residues."
Tests for a wide range of pesticide residues were run on 4,129 samples of both
imported and UK produced food.  The samples were collected in 2008 from many
sources including shops, markets, ports and wholesale suppliers.
Results are published every quarter and then summarised at the end of  the year
in this annual report.
As well as detailing the results of the monitoring programme the report provides
information about the role of the independent committee and their work
throughout 2008.  The committee meet in York four times a year.  Every year they
hold an open meeting where members of the public join them to discuss pesticide
residues in food.
The annual report and detailed quarterly reports are on the PRC website  at
www.pesticides.gov.uk/prc.asp?id=2536[1], and from the committee's secretariat 
based in York.
NOTES TO EDITORS
*The Pesticide Residues Committee advises Ministers, the Health and Safety
Executive’s Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD) and the Food Standards
Agency (FSA). 	*The committee is chaired by Dr Ian Brown (OBE BSc Agric, FRCP,
FFOM), who is Director of Occupational Health at the University of Oxford and
Honorary Consultant Physician in Occupational Medicine to Oxfordshire Primary
Care Trust Department of Public Health. 	*The Annual Report covers the 2008
monitoring programme. It summarises the findings from 46 surveys involving fruit
and vegetables, animal products, cereal products and some processed products
like smoothies and infant food.  	*The membership and terms of reference of the
PRC are included in the report as well as information about expenditure. 	*The
Annual Report and detailed quarterly reports for 2008 are available on the PRC
website http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/prc.asp?id=2536[2] or by contacting the
committee Secretariat (Email prc@hse.gsi.gov.uk, Tel: 01904 455756 or write to
PRC Secretariat, Mallard House, Kings Pool, 3 Peasholme Green, York YO1 7PX). 
	*The next PRC meeting on 21 October 2008, to be held in York and will be open
to observers (although numbers are limited by the space available). If you would
like to attend then register your interest with the secretariat (contact details
above).
PRESS ENQUIRIES
Clare Trenholm 0151 951 4974
Press Officer
PUBLIC ENQUIRIES
HSE's InfoLine 0845 3450055
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