Regulators raise concerns over pesticides used on berries – should you be concerned?

AustraliaThe regulator has suspended the use of a common pesticides is used on blueberriesRaspberries and blackberries contain what is known as dimethoate.

But this year-long suspension is not due to any new information about the pesticide. Rather, Australian pesticides And the Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) says it’s because we’re eating more Jamun Therefore our potential risk has increased.

Specifically, it says Children The risk of exceeding the maximum limit may increase between the ages of two and six years.

Here’s what we know about dimethoate and whether the berries are still safe to eat.

What is dimethoate?

Dimethoate is a pesticide that has been used in Australia since 1956. It belongs to a class of insecticides that inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. It prevents the breakdown of a key neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) and thus paralyzes the insect’s nervous system, causing it to die.

Mammals, including humans, also have the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, and can be poisoned by this class of pesticide.

very careful regulation Both the application of dimethoate on food and the levels of dimethoate residues need to be monitored so that we are not exposed to harmful levels.

The maximum allowable residue amount, in turn, depends on how much a person has been exposed to their food.

To do this, you must have an estimate of how much residue is on food and how much food we eat.

how much is too much?

The APVMA has a maximum limit on how much dimethoate we should get from our food. This is known as the acute reference dose (or ARFD), which is 0.02 mg per kilogram of body weight.

This maximum dose includes a safety factor of ten. In other words, the maximum dose allowed is ten times less than the lowest dose that has no effect.

This dose was determined in 2017. But it is in line with current World Health Organization limits and Canadian regulations. Australia’s maximum dose is less than

United States Environmental Protection Agency limits.

So, what has changed?

But our eating habits have changed. Australian consumption of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries has increased significantly since the last assessment of dimethoate by APVMA. Consumption is 285–962% higher than the levels considered for the 2017 assessment.

Eating more berries is a good thing. But this means that the current trace levels of dimethoate on the berries (0.0033 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day for a child) could potentially exceed the maximum limit for children aged two to six years.

APVMA says:

The levels of residues found are unlikely to pose a serious threat to human health, but it has been proposed to suspend these specific dimethoate products as a precautionary measure.

What can you do?

Don’t stop eating berries. Eating blackberries is an important part of a balanced diet. And the APVMA is insisting that the risk of harm is low.

The easiest way is to wash your berries. You should wash fruits and vegetables anyway. Washing helps get rid of soil and potentially harmful microorganisms.

Washing the berries won’t remove all the dimethoate, but it can reduce the levels enough so you can continue to enjoy them and their benefits.