Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
Liberty Times – September 15, 2012
Greenpeace yesterday released the results of pesticide testing, revealing that out of 17 sampled fruits and vegetables, five exceeded pesticide residue limits or contained illegal residues, with a failure rate of about 30%. One bell pepper was found to contain up to ten different pesticides, two of which were used illegally, with one exceeding the limit by ten times. Supermarket operators mostly stated that the products had been immediately removed from shelves but also suggested that consumer organizations should not only investigate branded supermarkets while overlooking the even laxer oversight in traditional markets.
**Well-Known Supermarkets All Had Non-Compliant Produce**
Greenpeace began recruiting participants for pesticide testing in early August, attracting nearly a thousand applicants. Ultimately, four households from Taipei, Miaoli, Tainan, and Kaohsiung were selected. Greenpeace members accompanied these households to their usual supermarkets to purchase a week’s worth of fruits and vegetables for testing.
The results showed that Min beans and Kyoho grapes from PX Mart, as well as lemons from Wellcome, contained excessive levels of carbendazim, flutriafol, and imidacloprid, respectively. Matsusei’s carrots tested positive for chlorpyrifos, which should not be detected, while Wellcome’s bell peppers contained illegal residues of phosalone and difenoconazole, with kresoxim-methyl exceeding the standard by ten times.
**Remove Stems, Rinse for 15 Minutes Before Use**
Lin Jie-liang, director of the Clinical Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, explained that carbendazim, flutriafol, difenoconazole, and kresoxim-methyl are all fungicides used to prevent mold on produce and are classified as endocrine disruptors. Carbendazim is a carcinogen that can cause testicular atrophy and infertility; flutriafol also has reproductive toxicity and can lead to birth defects; kresoxim-methyl can damage the liver and cause liver tumors.
Lin Jie-liang recommended cutting off stems and soaking produce in running water for 15 minutes, as well as choosing seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Greenpeace campaigner Tsai Ssu-ting suggested selecting certified products with traceable origins.
Lee Tsang-lang, director of the Agriculture and Food Agency, stated that the agency tests 10,000 samples of produce annually for pesticide residues, with a failure rate of about 4%. They will investigate the sources of the non-compliant produce identified by Greenpeace and guide farmers in making improvements.
**Supermarkets: Products Removed, Testing Procedures Reviewed**
Matsusei Supermarket stated that carrots from its Kaohsiung Heping branch were found to contain trace amounts of chlorpyrifos and were immediately removed from shelves. The supermarket has also requested suppliers to review their testing procedures and will strengthen management of sourcing origins.
PX Mart stated that it has invested significant resources in quality control, commissioning SGS to conduct weekly inspections at its stores. It also treats produce prone to pesticide residues as high-risk items, increasing inspections to fulfill its responsibility as a retailer. However, given the complexity of agricultural products and the number of suppliers, the best approach is to enforce stricter controls at the source.
Wellcome Supermarket explained that lemons from its Tainan Yongkang branch were tested by SGS and found compliant, and it was unclear why Greenpeace’s results differed. As for bell peppers, the supermarket typically imports them but recently purchased domestic products to support local farmers during peak harvest. After pesticide residues were detected, the products were immediately removed from shelves.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E6……E% B2% E8% 97% A5- 203304902. html
Spot Check: 30% of Fruits and Vegetables Fail Tests // Shocking Bell Peppers Contain 10 Pesticides
Greenpeace yesterday released the results of pesticide testing, revealing that out of 17 sampled fruits and vegetables, five exceeded pesticide residue limits or contained illegal residues, with a failure rate of about 30%. One bell pepper was found to contain up to ten different pesticides, two of which were used illegally, with one exceeding the limit by ten times. Supermarket operators mostly stated that the products had been immediately removed from shelves but also suggested that consumer organizations should not only investigate branded supermarkets while overlooking the even laxer oversight in traditional markets.
**Well-Known Supermarkets All Had Non-Compliant Produce**
Greenpeace began recruiting participants for pesticide testing in early August, attracting nearly a thousand applicants. Ultimately, four households from Taipei, Miaoli, Tainan, and Kaohsiung were selected. Greenpeace members accompanied these households to their usual supermarkets to purchase a week’s worth of fruits and vegetables for testing.
The results showed that Min beans and Kyoho grapes from PX Mart, as well as lemons from Wellcome, contained excessive levels of carbendazim, flutriafol, and imidacloprid, respectively. Matsusei’s carrots tested positive for chlorpyrifos, which should not be detected, while Wellcome’s bell peppers contained illegal residues of phosalone and difenoconazole, with kresoxim-methyl exceeding the standard by ten times.
**Remove Stems, Rinse for 15 Minutes Before Use**
Lin Jie-liang, director of the Clinical Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, explained that carbendazim, flutriafol, difenoconazole, and kresoxim-methyl are all fungicides used to prevent mold on produce and are classified as endocrine disruptors. Carbendazim is a carcinogen that can cause testicular atrophy and infertility; flutriafol also has reproductive toxicity and can lead to birth defects; kresoxim-methyl can damage the liver and cause liver tumors.
Lin Jie-liang recommended cutting off stems and soaking produce in running water for 15 minutes, as well as choosing seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Greenpeace campaigner Tsai Ssu-ting suggested selecting certified products with traceable origins.
Lee Tsang-lang, director of the Agriculture and Food Agency, stated that the agency tests 10,000 samples of produce annually for pesticide residues, with a failure rate of about 4%. They will investigate the sources of the non-compliant produce identified by Greenpeace and guide farmers in making improvements.
**Supermarkets: Products Removed, Testing Procedures Reviewed**
Matsusei Supermarket stated that carrots from its Kaohsiung Heping branch were found to contain trace amounts of chlorpyrifos and were immediately removed from shelves. The supermarket has also requested suppliers to review their testing procedures and will strengthen management of sourcing origins.
PX Mart stated that it has invested significant resources in quality control, commissioning SGS to conduct weekly inspections at its stores. It also treats produce prone to pesticide residues as high-risk items, increasing inspections to fulfill its responsibility as a retailer. However, given the complexity of agricultural products and the number of suppliers, the best approach is to enforce stricter controls at the source.
Wellcome Supermarket explained that lemons from its Tainan Yongkang branch were tested by SGS and found compliant, and it was unclear why Greenpeace’s results differed. As for bell peppers, the supermarket typically imports them but recently purchased domestic products to support local farmers during peak harvest. After pesticide residues were detected, the products were immediately removed from shelves.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E6……E% B2% E8% 97% A5- 203304902. html