YUK! Latest Research on Toxins in Fruit and Vegies

Organosphosphate chemicals replaced DDT and Dieldrin a few decades ago. You may still have some in your shed. DON’T feel like you need to use them up rather than waste them.

Take a look and you may find Lebaycid and Rogor for fruit fly, which have now been removed from home garden use, (so do not use them and get rid of them please from your garden shed at the next Council toxics deposit day). Effects from ingesting or absorbing these chemicals include muscle paralysis, lung disease, low birth weight in babies and reduced intellectual development and an increase in ADHD in children.

We have in the past been exposed to DDT and Dieldrin in our food and environment. Those chemicals, with their long term toxicity to humans and the environment have been replaced with Organophosphates. While lacking the longer term effects on nature, these chemicals have a more serious acute toxicity.  Effects from ingesting these chemicals include muscle paralysis, lung disease, low birth weight in babies with reduced intellectual development and an increase in ADHD in children.

RMIT research states: “Studies suggest that organic food consumption may significantly reduce OP

[Organo phoshate] pesticide exposure in children who have relatively higher pesticide exposure than adults due to their different diets, body weight, behaviour and less efficient metabolism.

The objectives of the research were to undertake a prospective, randomised, crossover study was conducted to determine if an organic food diet reduces organophosphate exposure in adults.

Methods used: Thirteen participants were randomly allocated to consume a diet of at least 80% organic or conventional food for 7 days and then crossed over to the alternate diet. Urinary levels of six dialkylphosphate metabolites were analysed in first-morning voids collected on day 8 of each phase using GC–MS/MS with detection limits of 0.11–0.51 μg/L.

Results showed: The mean total DAP results in the organic phase were 89% lower than in the conventional phase (M¼0.032 [SD¼0.038] and 0.294 [SD¼0.435] respectively, p¼0.013). For total dimethyl DAPs there was a 96% reduction (M¼0.011 [SD¼0.023] and 0.252 [SD¼0.403] respectively, p¼0.005). Mean total diethyl DAP levels in the organic phase were half those of the conventional phase (M¼0.021 [SD¼0.020] and 0.042 [SD¼0.038] respectively), yet the wide variability and small sample size meant the difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusions: The consumption of an organic diet for one week significantly reduced OP pesticide exposure in adults. Larger scale studies in different populations are required to confirm these findings and investigate their clinical relevance.”

http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=e3hoqm8befvj1

The RMIT research would indicate that although many have been removed from agricultural or horticultural use, or from home and garden use, that they are still present in our food, especially the non organic foods.

Organophosphate insecticides and common trade names

Organophosphate insecticide	Trade name	Organophosphate insecticide	Trade name
Parathion	Folidol, Folimat ( Insects , scale, fruit flynow cancelled for use)	Fenamiphos	Nemacur, (Assassinator, Redback Insect) (Nematodes Currently under review with APVMA)
Methidathion	Supracide, Nuturf (Insects, mites, scale, ? lawn grub?)	Monocrotophos	Azodrin, Nuvacron (Withdrawn from sale 2000)
Chlorpyrifos	Dursban, Lorsban (Cockroaches, termites, fleas Now cancelled for home use)	Demeton-S-Methyl	Metasystox (Not registered for use in Australia)
Diazinon	Basudin, Gesapon (Now cancelled for home and pet use)	Dimethoate	Rogur (Sic Rogor) (Suspended pending review due for completion in October 2014)
Fenthion	Lebaycid, Baytex (Pest birds, cattle parasites, fruit fly and other insects.)(Suspended pending review due for completion in October 2014)	Maldison	Malathion ( Head lice, poultry, dogs and cats for fleas, lice)
Trichlorophon	Dipterex (Lawn grubs)	Temephos	Abate (Mosquito larvae in waterways, ectoparasites on food producing animals.)

Table from http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/resources/pdfs/ddp-organoguide.pdf

Dept Justice and Attorney General – Worksafe QLD

Please note words emboldened and in  ( ) are my own additions and note the most common insect  pest specified for this chemical