Pesticide residues - better early than never?

摘要

Some supermarkets are leading the drive for zero-tolerance of pesticide residues in food, acknowledging the concerns of the average consumer. The Food Standards Agency recently instituted a review of literature in the public domain concerning pesticide residues and the potential for their minimisation. A review of UK research initiatives indicated that the concern to reduce environmental impact has outweighed the main - and often conflicting - demands of the consumer for food that is both cheap and "chemical"-free. Any attempt to reduce residues in food must inevitably focus on late season and storage practices rather than earlier prophylactic treatments that may have more environmental impact. Procedures can be cited that do or could promote additional pesticide near to or after harvest. These include the long-term storage of fruit and potatoes, the use of strobilurin fungicides, and the introduction of crops with herbicide insensitivity.