Follow
Fruits and vegetables from schools contain pesticide traces
STATES CHRONICLE – A recent study brought to light a worrying reality regarding our children. Those fruits and vegetables they receive from schools are full of pesticides, exposing them to harmful chemicals and putting them in danger. Researchers found out that, in fact, the percentage of pesticide residue from these products was higher than that in the supermarkets.
How safe are the fruits and vegetables our children receive at school?
Every year, children receive fruits and vegetables from their schools, in an attempt to promote healthy eating habits among them. However, these products they receive are not the healthiest out there. Researchers took several samples from some fruits given to the children, and the results were quite alarming.
A sample of apple imported from Portugal had residues from 11 types of pesticides, while a pear sample, also brought from Portugal, contained 9 pesticides. On the other hand, some raisins from Turkey were even more dangerous, as they had traces of 13 harmful chemicals.
The produce is rich in pesticides
These findings are quite worrying, as they suggest the authorities perform less pesticide control on those fruits and vegetables given to children than on those which end up in supermarkets. They claim these levels are low, and children are in no danger. Even so, those who militate against it say children shouldn’t be exposed to any pesticides whatsoever.
These people want only organic produce to end up in our children’s meal. Previous studies on these fruits handed out in schools revealed they contained a total of 123 pesticides. Among these, there were substances which could affect the endocrine system, organophosphates, which can affect brain development, or carcinogens.
Twenty percent of the samples contained chlorpyrifos. This chemical is extremely dangerous, and getting exposed even to a small dose might lead to serious health consequences. The substance has recently been banned in farming in countries like UK, and the Californian officials are trying to restrict its use as well.
Image Source: Pixabay
