Comment from The Organic Food and Produce Company
We share the concern discussed by Choice magazine; sadly we do not know for certain the dangers of many chemicals, yet the attitude seems to be 'launch first, worry later'. We agree with their conclusion that one way to minimise your exposure to dangerous chemicals is to buy organic.

Pesticides in fruit and veg — harmless or harmful?

CHOICE magazine is calling in its April issue for more independent testing of fruit and vegetables for pesticide residues.

Spokeswoman Clare Hughes said that while there’s currently no convincing evidence that pesticide residues are bad for your health at the very low levels permitted in fruit, vegetables and other foods, the research isn’t conclusive.
Pesticides that were once thought safe have been subsequently banned, or their use restricted.

Ms Hughes also said there’s very little testing of fruit and vegetables on sale in our supermarkets and greengrocers. Most imported fruit and veg escape the net altogether — and with increasing globalisation, fresh food imports are growing.

“Australia now imports fresh fruit and vegetables worth more than $180 million a year, some of it from countries known to have a less stringent approach than Australia to the use of agricultural chemicals. Fruit and vegies from those countries may be contaminated with pesticides that either aren’t permitted here or are at unsafe levels,” said Ms Hughes.

“Testing for pesticide residues is mostly left to the states. Regular testing is beyond the resources of the smaller states and territories and most of the testing that’s done by the larger states is on local produce only.” The ACT and Tasmania do no testing at all. The NSW Department of Primary Industry has a new testing program but it only looks at local produce. The NT Department of Primary Industry only tests locally grown produce. The Queensland Department of Primary Industry regularly tests samples from suppliers but does no testing of produce from retail outlets, so imported produce isn’t tested. SA tested locally produced fruit and vegetables in 2003 but isn’t currently doing any testing at all. Victoria regularly tests locally produced fruit and vegetables but doesn’t take samples from retail outlets. In WA the Department of Health has an ongoing testing program and does surveys of fruit and vegetables every two to five years. The current survey is sampling from retail outlets, including supermarket chains.
 
“We’d like to see regular, systematic testing on a national basis, with greater testing of imported produce,” said Ms Hughes. “There are some things that you can do to minimise your exposure — buy organic, and discard outer layers of produce such as lettuce.

Processed foods such as tomato purée generally have fewer pesticide residues because washing, blanching and cooking removes the majority of residues.” If you would like a personal interview or further information, please phone our switchboard on 02 9577 3333, or Clare Hughes direct on (02) 9577 3375 or 0416 085 188.