The Dangers of Pesticides on Blueberries

Possible link to ADHD

• A 2010 scholarly study by Columbia University researchers examined many of the most common fruits and vegetables eaten by children and was summarized in "USA Today" in 2010. The study found a possible link between incidences of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and pesticide use on the fruits and vegetables examined, including blueberries. Of the children studied, 94 percent were found to have pesticide residues in their urine and were more at risk to contract ADHD and other learning disabilities, in part because children's bodies absorb more of the pesticide residue relative to body fat than do adults.

Toxicity

• Testing in 2007 by the Pesticide Residues Committee in the United Kingdom found a high degree of toxicity in fruits and vegetables given to children when the fruits and vegetables were treated with pesticides. Researchers found that up to three quarters of the produce fed to children is treated with pesticides, and that children who consumed the foods were exposed a "cocktail" of carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemicals. Residues from other pesticides on the food were found to have "neurotoxic and hormone-disrupting capabilities" said Georgina Downs, of UK Pesticides Campaign.

Remarks on Ongoing Research

• When asked about the results of the U.S. research, Virginia Rauh of Columbia University, an expert in human exposure to pesticides, though not a part of the team that authored the 2010 study, remarked that she "would take it quite seriously." Still, researchers couldn't prove beyond a doubt a causal relationship between pesticides and childhood learning disabilities. Pesticide exposure could have been the result of eating fruits and vegetables that are treated with pesticides but also could have been the result of residual pesticide in drinking water, air or even if the children lived close to a farm that used pesticides.

Caution and Other Considerations

• The authors of the U.K. study urged "caution" to concerned parents who may be alarmed at the results of the study. Scientists have long known of the health effects of pesticide exposure, which is why governments in the United Kingdom, United States and other countries limit the amount of pesticide residue that can be on food before it is sold to consumers. Still, the U.S. study suggests that even amounts of pesticide residue that are considered legal by regulatory agencies may cause serious health problems. The authors of both studies suggested washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consuming them or, better yet, switching to organic fruits and vegetables which researches found dropped pesticide residue levels "to undetectable or close to undetectable levels."