I was excited to recently discover an article by Consumer NZ discussing the levels of pesticides in New Zealand’s fruit and vege. I’ve always referenced the Dirty Dozen list that the Environmental Working Group releases each year for produce, but I have always wished for information specific to us here in Aotearoa. And now I’ve found it! They tested 16 locally grown fruit and vegetables, both organic and conventionally grown for more than 200 pesticides and found that 16 pesticides were detected, 9 of which are actually banned in the EU.

It’s empowering to know for your next trip to the supermarket or organic shop that none of the organic produce they tested had any pesticide residues and with the conventionally grown produce, the broccoli, capsicum, carrots, flat mushrooms, garlic and green kiwifruit all came back free of residues too. Sadly, traces of the pesticides that are currently banned in the EU (although in levels below the permitted maximum) were found on conventionally grown oranges, lemons, green cabbage, potatoes, kumara and strawberries. You can read the full article here.

Rolled oats also need a specific mention, because in their testing two brands of rolled oats contained glyphosate (aka Roundup) residues to be THREE times higher than the maximum residue level. Yikes. Not ideal news when The World Health Organization issued a report saying that glyphosate was ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’. And if that wasn’t enough, glyphosate is also an endocrine disruptor and emerging scientific evidence suggests that it may lead to a harmful imbalance in bacteria in soil and in human and animal intestinal flora - aka your gut health (read more on this here).

I know many of you reading this will be feeling despair as organic produce here in New Zealand is unfortunately the more expensive option. But it’s well worth the effort when we learn that research shows the correlation between children’s' exposure to toxins in our water, air, food, environment, and problems with health and development (Masson, 2015). In fact Dr. Leila Masson goes on to say that the closer a pregnant mother lives to a field that is sprayed with pesticides, or to freeways, the higher risk that her child may develop ADHD or autism.

But not all hope is lost! I know this information will be overwhelming to read. It’s a minefield. It feels disheartening. Like a task too huge to overcome. First and foremost, you can grow your own produce easily - even just in your backyards dirt if you don’t have a veggie garden (and do have a backyard) means you can control the pesticide levels used on your produce. Secondly, you can visit your local Farmer’s Market for seasonal, local produce that often has spray-free or organic options. And thirdly, this doesn’t mean you should avoid fruits and vegetables that are conventionally grown!

If you do buy your produce conventionally grown each week, you can use the following Baking Soda method to reduce your exposure to chemicals such as pesticides and fungicides. If you only have time to do a rinse, try and include a rinse and scrub with a soft-bristled brush while rinsing as this does reduce pesticides but it isn’t as effective as the baking soda method below.

Baking soda method: A solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda per 2 cups water is likely to be the best method to remove pesticides from most produce. One particular study demonstrated that soaking apples in a baking soda solution following a 24-hour exposure to the thiabendazole and phosmet pesticides completely removed all surface residues in 12-15 minutes. Win!

In my consultations with parents, I love supporting them to slowly make low-tox swaps for their family and empower them with the knowledge and confidence to make this transition. If you believe your family could benefit from low-tox living, you can book your initial consult here.

References:

Masson, L. (2015). Children’s Health. David Bateman Ltd.