Pesticide Residues in Fruits: Health Risks and Safety Measures

Abstract

Fruits are an important part of our daily diet. They are naturally good and contain vitamins and minerals that can help to keep us healthy and also help to protect against some diseases. Fruit constituents such as vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C, vitamin E, Magnesium, Zinc, Phosphorous, and Folic acid may reduce the risk of many diseases (type 2 diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, cancer of bowel, stomach and throat, and high blood pressure/hypertension). Fruits also reduce blood levels of homocysteine, a substance that may be a risk factor for coronary heart disease. In recent times, to increase the yield from fruit crops and for protection from many pests, chemical pesticides are applied on the larger scale. Due to this excessive use of pesticides, many of the pesticides contaminate the natural environment and via the contamination of the soil, some of the pesticide residues enter fruits also. Though, it was said that modern formulations of pesticides are safe, many scientific reports have demonstrated that pesticide residues from the food can produce long-term negative effects on the health of fauna, humans and the environment. Present study mainly focuses on the fruits (definition, nutritive and therapeutic benefits); pesticides (definition, types, benefits and adverse effects); and pesticide residues. This review also focus on the pesticide residues recorded in commonly consumed fruits, health effects of pesticide residues, and safety measures for pesticide residues in fruits. Daily practice of safety measures include preference to organic fruits, washing of fruits with water, and eating of processed fruits. At the agricultural level, rational use of pesticides, use of bio-pesticides or natural pesticides such as neem extract, will lower the pesticide residues in fruits.