Foods that are toxic to children

Latest residue results

Following a new Europe-wide residues report admitting there are health risks to toddlers from residues, today’s results from the UK government’s Pesticide Residues Committee are far from reassuring.

Residues were detected in 49 of the apple samples tested. In one sample, a residue of the carcinogenic pesticide, captan, was illegally high. According to the official analysis, it was:

• 3.5 times higher than the safety limit for infants

• 2.6 times higher than the safety limit for toddlers

• twice the safety limit for 4 to 6 year olds

• 1.5 times the safety limit for 7 to 10 year olds

But the Chairman of the PRC has moved the goalposts by saying the results indicate that ‘safety margins had been slightly eroded’. PAN UK believes the government should adhere to its own safety limits.

The new figures from the European Commission, published in June this year, indicate that, across Europe, conventionally produced  food is increasingly contaminated with pesticides. The EC acknowledges that toxic chemicals in food are a risk to the health of children and vulnerable adults. Residues at illegal levels have almost doubled, from 3three per cent of the total in 1996 to 5.5 per cent in 2002. The percentage of samples found with residues at, or below, the legal limit has risen from 32 per cent in 1999 to 38 per cent in 2002.

Babies and toddlers are at risk from residues of the most highly toxic pesticides in use[i]. The EC survey found breaches of safety limits with samples found at between 103 per cent of the limit (for diazinon, a toxic organophosphate used on carrots) and 477 per cent for methimadophos. Health risks to the very young are particularly of concern because they are known to consume, in proportion to their body weight, more food than adults, and more fruit and vegetables

For more information, contact:  Alison Craig, PAN UK tel 020 7065 0914, (m) 07709 730561, alisoncraig@pan-uk.org