A trial of combining and quantifying the effects of food processing on various pesticides was carried out using a meta-analysis. In this study, weighted mean response ratios and confidence intervals about the reduction of pesticide residue levels in fruits and vegetables treated with various food processing techniques were calculated using a statistical tool of meta-analysis. The weighted mean response ratios for tap water washing, peeling, blanching (boiling) and oven drying were 0.52, 0.14, 0.34 and 0.46, respectively. Among the food processing methods, peeling showed the greatest effect on the reduction of pesticide residues. Pearsons's correlation coefficient (r=0.624) between weighted mean response ratios and octanolwater partition coefficients (logP ow ) for twelve pesticides processed with tap water washing was confirmed as having a positive correlation in the range of significance level of 0.05 (p=0.03). This means that a pesticide having the higher value of logP ow was observed as showing a higher weighted mean response ratio. These results could be used effectively as a reference data for processing factor in risk assessment and as an information for consumers on how to reduce pesticide residues in agricultural products.
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