An in-depth analysis of over 5,000 food samples revealed a high presence of pesticide residues in vegetables, particularly peppers. The findings highlight the urgency of adopting more sustainable agricultural practices to reduce exposure to chemicals harmful to human health
Vegetables under accusation, a salad of pesticides on our plate? A recent dossier by Legambiente reveals a bitter side of our consumption of vegetables. Despite being considered a pillar of a healthy and balanced diet, even our favorite vegetables hide an unpleasant secret: pesticides.
READ also: Stop pesticides on your plate: the list of foods with the most chemical residues, according to the new Legambiente dossier
Out of over 5,000 samples analyzed, 34.4% of the vegetables showed traces of these chemical substances. And it is not just a single residue, but often a real toxic cocktail, with 26.3% of the samples containing more than one.
Peppers make up the lion’s share. Among the vegetables analyzed, peppers appear to be the most affected, with almost 60% of the samples contaminated. Whole grains and wine follow closely behind, demonstrating that the problem isn’t just about fresh foods.
Why so many pesticides in our vegetables? The answer is more complex than you might think. The increasingly extreme climate, with prolonged droughts and high temperatures, favors the proliferation of parasites and diseases that put crops at risk. To protect crops, farmers resort to the massive use of pesticides, creating a vicious circle: the more pesticides are used, the more resistant the parasites become, requiring ever greater doses of these chemicals.
The most contaminated vegetable in Italy
In the “vegetables” category, as can be seen from the dossier, there is a higher percentage of samples free of residues compared to fruit, equal to 63.49%, with an irregularity rate of 2.02%.
The products most affected by the presence of residues are:
In particular, peppers showed the highest percentage of irregularities, with a value of 7.87%. A positive note emerges from the cereals section, such as wheat, rice and spelt, which reached a percentage of residue-free samples of 78.37%.
Faced with these alarming data, what can we do to protect our health?
- Choose organic products: organic farming excludes the use of synthetic pesticides, ensuring greater safety for consumers.
- Prefer seasonal and zero-mile fruit and vegetables: in this way we reduce the distance that food travels and, consequently, the use of pesticides.
- Wash food thoroughly: Even if it does not completely eliminate residues, washing fruit and vegetables well before consuming them can help reduce their presence.
- Peel fruit and vegetables: the peel is the part of the food that absorbs the most pesticides, so peeling it can be an additional precaution.
HERE is the complete Legambiente dossier.
