Francesca Biagioli A new study confirms that washing apples (or other fruits), however carefully, is not enough to eliminate pesticides, it is always better to peel them
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We often hear about the dangers pesticides pose to the environment, as well as the traces they leave on the foods we eat daily, especially fruits and vegetables. Many consumers believe that thoroughly washing apples is enough to eliminate any risk, but unfortunately, this is not entirely accurate, as a recent study confirms.
New concerns about pesticides in food
Published in Nano Letters, the work of the American Chemical Society provides consumers with new ground for their concerns over pesticide residues in food. It offers new evidence proving that washing fruits before consumption does not eliminate a number of poisonous chemicals applied in agriculture.
Scientists have developed a method using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy to detect traces of pesticide contamination, even low levels, in food. They have created an advanced imaging technique that will be able to spot pesticide contamination. Applied to fruit-and tested on cucumbers, shrimp, chili powder, and rice-the results indicate current food safety practice may not be up to the mark.
In fact, the experts purport that the imaging results show pesticides penetrate from the skin layer to the flesh layer.
The study: testing common pesticides
The test was conducted using two fungicides, Carbendazim (banned in Europe) and Thiram, sprayed individually or together on the skins of several apples. After undergoing a simple home wash, both substances were still found, albeit in small amounts, not only on the skin but also on the outer flesh of the fruit.
Washing is not enough
Therefore, merely washing the skin does not ensure that no pesticide residue remains. What is the solution? The authors recorded a decrease in pesticide contamination when part of the apple skin was removed along with the fleshy layer.
Dongdong Ye, professor of School of Materials and Chemistry at Anhui Agricultural University in China, lead author of this study, says,
“This research, placed against the general backdrop of food safety, aims to give consumers some health advice. Instead of causing unnecessary alarm, the study found that peeling can remove almost all pesticide residues, which are typically left intact by washing as is often advised.
Should we always peel apples?
Takeaway: we should always peel apples unless we make sure that we are buying organic or even better varieties that are untreated.
