Assessment of Selected Food Products for Pesticide Residue in Major Markets of Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

ABSTRACT.A study was carried out on the assessment of selected food produce for pesticide residue in Oyo State. With the aid of multi stage sampling technique, 8 selected markets were surveyed in the major constituencies of Oyo State which included Oje and Bodija Market in Ibadan, Arada and Sabo Markets in Ogbomoso, Ajegunle and Araromi Market in Oyo, Owode and Sango Markets in Igboho and Saki respectively in Oke-Ogun. Information on type of pesticide use, reason for choosing the pesticide, method of applying the pesticide and duration of post application storage, were collected. Food produce sampled were yam chips, cowpea, maize and smoked fish for residual analysis. The residual analysis includes extraction of samples, cleaning of extraction and screening of the pesticide using GC-MS to detect any chemical metabolites.The survey reveals that majority (87.5%) of respondents were involved in selling of maize, yam chips and cowpea and the most used pesticide in the market was Aluminium phosphide marketed as phostoxin. Many of respondents applied pesticide by fumigation and the choice of these pesticides was base on customary practices. These food produce are stored for less than a month before being disposed of to consumers. Result from residual analysis shows sample from all the markets contains high percentage of alkane compounds especially the heptadecanes, eicosane, hexadecane and octadecane. Organochlorines were also found in the samples at high percentage.Banned pesticides are still in use in the visited markets and the use of banned pesticide should be prohibited and extension scheme on the use of pesticide on stored produce should be sponsored by government. This will help educate pesticide users on the use of pesticides and its health implications. Consumers are also implored to wash their food very well before consumption so as to remove pesticides that may be present on the seed coat or surface of food produce.

Determination of Organochlorine Residues in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. WALP) From Selected Markets in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

“…Phostoxin which is usually used as fumigant insecticides is the most predominantly used pesticides in the study area. This was in agreement with the reports from earlier researchers (Deji, 2012;Adesina et al, 2015), that Phostoxin was found to be used mostly in preserving foods. Combination of two pesticides will have fast and quick effects on the pest of the foodstuffs but with adverse effects on the health of man with a higher tendency of pesticides residues Adesina et al (2015).…”

“…Majority of the respondents in the study area (56.67 %) stored foodstuff for less than a month before disposing it to the general public for consumption, this might result in food poisoning or contamination, and in agreement with the study by Adesina et al (2015). Adesina et al (2015) reported that storing of food crops for less than a month, might be because many do not understand the concept of withholding period which is the maximum length of time that must elapse. It is also a time a person must wait after application of pesticide on food crop before it is safe for consumption.…”

Integrated Pest Management of the Yam Chip Beetle Dinoderus porcellus Lesne (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae): Current Status and Future Prospects

“…These two organochlorine pesticide residues classified as dangerous by the World Health Organization [38] could cause serious health and environmental risks. Moreover, the use of aluminum phosphide marketed as Phostoxin, which is a highly toxic pesticide banned in several countries [39], was registered by Adesina et al [40] as use by traders for yam chip protection. It is therefore important to sensitize farmers and traders to the use of chemical insecticides suitable for the protection of yam chips.…”