Eat no Evil, Pee no Evil: Researchers Study Pesticides in Children
by Jacob Gordon, Nashville, TN on 03. 8.06
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)
is there any clear, scientific evidence that these pesticides cause health problems?
Moo, search for background on your favorite pesticide here: http://www.inchem.org/pages/pds.html
There are many more sites like this around the net.
Coming from a farming background (and being a biologist), we always assumed the powders or liquids in the bags were dangerous but necessary. Now it seems they might not be so necessary. I prefer erring on the side of caution.
excellence resource, thanks ek, I will use that. I eat mostly organic myself. I've searched the academic literature for arguments why eating organic is better for people, or the environment (eg hard to identify long-term affects and there are trade-offs with both systems). I've also argued the matter with various scientists.
Seems no strong argument puts either far ahead of the other. I think a combination of approaches is good, adn should fit local environment. Farming is not static and integrated pest mngt approaches reduce the use of chems. Without chemicals, plants produce higher levels of natural toxins. Natural pesticides can be toxic, just like synthetic chemicals. Natural plant defences are eaten by us in concentrations much higher than from synthetic chems, ie in the balance, the synthetic chems we ingest may be minor.
Most organic shoppers don't really know why they buy organic - they're just following hearsay, trendy fad for wealthier consumers. We should all get off our butts and look into the science to know if there is a good reason to buy organic (v's other options such as locally produced, for eg).
Moo, the "natural pesticides" that you refer to plants producing are far better understood in their effects than many of the new, artifical pesticides. It's best not to add biocides with poorly understood human toxicity effects to your food crops (if you don't have to).
I for one will always choose nature over synthetic. I work for a Pest Prevention company and there are organic products that have been effective for years and are getting better every year. Ask yourselves why you see animals rolling around in grass, flowers, daisy, etc. It is the oils that are on these plants that help keep pest off of them.