Unpalatable facts about food

Bengaluru: The report (April, 2014 - March, 2015) released recently by the Union Agriculture ministry, contains some shocking revelations about the food consumed by Bengalureans. According to the data, out of 796 samples collected in and around Bengaluru city, pesticide residues were found in 206 samples. Shockingly, in  20 samples it was higher than the Maximum Residue Limits (MRL)  fixed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

According to the report prepared by the Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) for the ministry during the year 2014-15, Bengaluru center had collected and analysed 796 samples. Out of these samples 25.9 % of the samples analysed contained measurable residues. 2.8 % of all the samples exceeded the MRL  fixed by the FSSAI. The commonly detected pesticide residues which were found above MRL were chlorpyrifos and ethion.  Along with the market samples, Bengaluru center also collected and analysed samples from farm-gate (73) and organic retail outlets (20). In 18 farm-gate samples (24.7%), the measurable residues were detected and one sample was found above MRL. While, 3 organic samples (15.0 %) were detected with pesticide residues, none of them exceeded MRL. Samples were collected from  K.R.Market, Hosur, Mandya, Yeshwantha pura, Malleshwaram, Dasarahalli, Hessara ghatta, Chamarajpet, Banavara and Rama nagar.

One of the positive findings of the  report was, out of 18 samples of surface water analyised, residues were not found in any of the samples. 33 milk samples tested also came out clean. According to the report, fatal pesticide residues including Triazofos, Acephate and Chlorpyrifos found in organic vegetable products raised questions about the  claims made by both producers and sellers. Other major pesticide residues found in the food commodities include  Ethion, Methamidofos, Quinalfos, Monocrotofos.

Speaking to this newspaper, an officer from the state agriculture department  informed that this report rings an alarm bell for all. "This report shows that even the organic products are not safe. There is a need for coming out with a concrete action plan to reduce the use of chemicals in the agriculture sector," he said.