Eat no Evil, Pee no Evil: Researchers Study Pesticides in Children

We’ve reported in the past on research examining organic milk, organic ketchup, and the effects of organic food on rats. Now, a team led by an Emory University researcher has found that switching the diet of elementary school children from conventional to organic virtually eliminates two commonly used agricultural pesticides from their bodies. Twenty three students from the Seattle area were fed an organic diet for 5 days, at which point researchers observed a “dramatic and immediate protective effect” from the two pesticides: malathion and chlorpyrifos. After returning to a conventional diet, concentrations went up to as high as 268 parts per billion. "Immediately after substituting organic food items for the children's normal diets, the concentration of the organophosphorus pesticides found in their bodies decreased substantially to non-detectable levels until the conventional diets were re-introduced," said lead researcher Dr. Lu. :: Environmental Health Perspectives (Image credit: R@punseLL)