Pesticides in food: How to limit consumer exposure
Pesticides dans l’alimentation : comment limiter l’exposition des consommateurs
Résumé
Pesticides used in conventional agriculture are found in fruits and vegetables at non-toxic doses but in mixture. Their distribution in fruits and vegetables depends on their chemical structure, their solubility in water or lipids, their action (systemic or contact) and the type of plant. Processed fruit products also contain pesticides, especially fruit-juice-based soft drinks. Pesticides are biologically active compounds which can affect targets other than those for which they were designed. Epidemiological studies show a strong presumption of a link between occupational exposure to pesticides and the development of several pathologies. In consumers, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is correlated with a profile of exposure to certain pesticides. In addition, preclinical studies have shown that dietary exposure to pesticide cocktails, each present at non-toxic doses, induces the development of metabolic disorders. It is therefore essential to reduce pesticide exposure. Various techniques, such as peeling, soaking in clear or acidified water, and high temperatures, can reduce pesticide levels in fruits and vegetables. However, the consumption of organically grown food remains the most reliable way of reducing consumer exposure to pesticides.
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