Fresh fruits and vegetables may soon become a luxury item for those who can afford chemical-free and organic items as food prices continue to soar and there is no relief from pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables.
Pesticide use on crops, which leaves residues in the fruits and vegetables, or the use of pesticides to clean dwellings are two possible sources of pesticide residues in our food. Once in human systems, pesticide residues can be the root of a number of acute and chronic ailments. Therefore, the first step is to get rid of the pesticides as much as we can.
Although the pesticides sprayed on fruits and vegetables on fields are out of our hands as customers, there are few easy do-it-yourself tackles that can greatly reduce the residues.
Dietary Guidelines for India were recently announced by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN). The recommendations have provided some straightforward actions that every family should take to eliminate any remaining pesticide contamination. Every household needs to implement these simple actions.
1. Washing
- Washing is the initial stage in the process of removing pesticide residues from food goods. Most of the contact pesticide residues that often occur on the surface of vegetables and fruits can be removed by washing with water that contains 2% salt.
- By washing in cold water, you can get rid of 75–80% of pesticide residue. Fruits including grapes, apples, guavas, plums, mangoes, peaches, and pears, as well as fruity vegetables like tomatoes, brinjal, and okra, need two to three washings to remove the pesticide residues on their surfaces.
- Vegetables with green leaves must be well cleaned. Normal processing methods including washing, blanching, and cooking effectively remove the pesticide residues from green leafy crops.
2. Blanching
Most veggies receive a brief treatment in hot water or steam. Blanching can efficiently get rid of some pesticide residues. However, it is crucial to carefully pre-wash the fruits and vegetables before blanching.
3. Peeling
- Both systemic and contact pesticides that appear on the surface of the fruits and vegetables can be removed by peeling.
- Pesticide residues in the finished product can be further decreased through processes like concentration, dehydration, and extraction from the raw product. In processed foods, processing generally has a small overall impact on residue levels.
4. Cooking
Animal Products
- Since animals eat pesticide-sprayed fodder, animal products are a primary source of contamination for pesticide residues in human diets.
- Pesticide residues from the animal fat tissues will be eliminated during pressure cooking, frying, and baking.
Dairy products
- The persistent pesticide residues in milk are destroyed when it is heated to a boil.
Vegetable Oils
- Pesticide residues will be less prevalent in refined oils.
- Remaining pesticides in oils can be eliminated by heating them in the home to a specific flash point.
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