Guest guest Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-na-organic3sep03,0,178205.story?coll=la-tot-promo & track=morenewsGoing Organic Can Shield Children From Pesticides: A study finds benefits are 'immediate' and suggeststhat youths are exposed to the chemicals primarilythrough food, not spraying of homes.By Marla Cone, Times Staff WriterSwitching to organic foods provides children "dramaticand immediate" protection from pesticides that arewidely used on a variety of crops, according to astudy by a team of federally funded scientists.Concentrations of two organophosphate pesticides -malathion and chlorpyrifos - declined substantially inthe bodies of elementary school-age children during afive-day period when organic foods were substitutedfor conventional foods.The two chemicals are the most commonly usedinsecticides in U.S. agriculture. More than 2 millionpounds were applied to California crops in 2003,according to records of the state Department ofPesticide Regulation.The health effects of exposure to minute amounts ofpesticides found in food are largely unknown,especially for children. Some research, however,suggests that the residue may harm the developingnervous system.For 15 days, a team of environmental health scientistsfrom the University of Washington, Emory Universityand the Centers for Disease Control and Preventiontested the urine of 23 elementary school-age childrenin the Seattle area.During the first three days and last seven days, thechildren ate their normal foods. But during the middlefive days, organic items were substituted for most oftheir diet, including fruits, vegetables, juices andwheat- and corn-based processed items such as cerealand pasta.Average levels of both pesticides in the children"decreased to the nondetect levels immediately afterthe introduction of organic diets and remainednondetectable until the conventional diets werereintroduced," the researchers reported Thursday inthe online version of the scientific journalEnvironmental Health Perspectives.When they ate organic foods, the children on averagehad zero malathion detected in their urine, with ahigh of seven parts per billion in one child. But whenthe children returned to eating conventional foods,one child had as much as 263 parts per billion and theaverage increased to 1.6 parts per billion.For chlorpyrifos, the children had less than one partper billion when they ate organic foods, but theaverage increased fivefold as soon as they returned totheir previous diet.The findings suggest that children are exposed toorganophosphate chemicals mainly through food, notthrough spraying in homes or other sources. In 2001,the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banned mostresidential uses of chlorpyrifos but has left mostagricultural uses unrestricted. Three otherorganophosphate pesticides that are not widely used onfarms and are more highly restricted by the EPA wereundetectable in most of the children, according to thestudy, directed by Emory's Chensheng Lu."In conclusion," the researchers wrote, "we were ableto demonstrate that an organic diet provides adramatic and immediate protective effect againstexposure to organophosphorus pesticides that arecommonly used in agricultural production."Margaret Reeves, a staff scientist at the PesticideAction Network North America, based in San Francisco,said the findings were "not surprising because we knowthat food is an important source of [organophosphate]exposure. Also, we know that these pesticides don'tlast very long . in the body, and you can have arelatively quick response" to a diet change.Pesticide manufacturers say that while low levels ofresidue are detectable on many products, there is noevidence that children are harmed by them. They saythat pesticides, which are the most highly tested andregulated chemicals in the United States, are vital toproviding an affordable and plentiful world foodsupply.But Reeves said the children's study "is a prettystrong argument that [organic food] is a good way togo, if you have access to it and can afford it."Organic foods can be expensive and sometimes difficultto find. But parents can minimize their children'sexposure if they substitute organic products for thosethat contain the most residue. Experts advise parentsto wash produce and peel skins if they buyconventional foods, but for foods that cannot bepeeled, such as grapes and strawberries, organic maybe a wise choice.In the late 1990s, U.S. Department of Agriculture datashowed that about 75% of foods sampled fromconventionally grown crops contained pesticideresidue, compared with 23% for organic products.The Consumers Union reported in 2000 that peaches,apples, pears, grapes, green beans, spinach, wintersquash, strawberries and cantaloupe had the highestlevels of pesticide residues. Those with few residuesincluded bananas, broccoli, canned peaches, canned orfrozen peas, canned or frozen corn, milk, orangejuice, apple juice and grape juice.Thirty-five percent of peaches sampled by the USDA in2003 contained traces of chlorpyrifos, and 26% of thecelery in 2002 had malathion residue, according to thenew study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 15, 2005 Report Share Posted September 15, 2005 For a very critical and informative source for more info like this and other topics related to organics and the food supply, check out the website; http://www.organicconsumers.org/ I highly recommend signing up for their monthly newseletter. A great grass roots organization divulging the truth and giving consumers a way to fight back. They often times allow for a way to make a difference. Ryan , Tim Campbell <timcall@s...> wrote: > http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-na- organic3sep03,0,178205.story?coll=la-tot-promo & track=morenews > > > Going Organic Can Shield Children From Pesticides > : A study finds benefits are 'immediate' and suggests > that youths are exposed to the chemicals primarily > through food, not spraying of homes. > > By Marla Cone, Times Staff Writer > > Switching to organic foods provides children " dramatic > and immediate " protection from pesticides that are > widely used on a variety of crops, according to a > study by a team of federally funded scientists. > > Concentrations of two organophosphate pesticides - > malathion and chlorpyrifos - declined substantially in > the bodies of elementary school-age children during a > five-day period when organic foods were substituted > for conventional foods. > > > The two chemicals are the most commonly used > insecticides in U.S. agriculture. More than 2 million > pounds were applied to California crops in 2003, > according to records of the state Department of > Pesticide Regulation. > > The health effects of exposure to minute amounts of > pesticides found in food are largely unknown, > especially for children. Some research, however, > suggests that the residue may harm the developing > nervous system. > > For 15 days, a team of environmental health scientists > from the University of Washington, Emory University > and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention > tested the urine of 23 elementary school-age children > in the Seattle area. > > During the first three days and last seven days, the > children ate their normal foods. But during the middle > five days, organic items were substituted for most of > their diet, including fruits, vegetables, juices and > wheat- and corn-based processed items such as cereal > and pasta. > > Average levels of both pesticides in the children > " decreased to the nondetect levels immediately after > the introduction of organic diets and remained > nondetectable until the conventional diets were > reintroduced, " the researchers reported Thursday in > the online version of the scientific journal > Environmental Health Perspectives. > > When they ate organic foods, the children on average > had zero malathion detected in their urine, with a > high of seven parts per billion in one child. But when > the children returned to eating conventional foods, > one child had as much as 263 parts per billion and the > average increased to 1.6 parts per billion. > > For chlorpyrifos, the children had less than one part > per billion when they ate organic foods, but the > average increased fivefold as soon as they returned to > their previous diet. > > The findings suggest that children are exposed to > organophosphate chemicals mainly through food, not > through spraying in homes or other sources. In 2001, > the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banned most > residential uses of chlorpyrifos but has left most > agricultural uses unrestricted. Three other > organophosphate pesticides that are not widely used on > farms and are more highly restricted by the EPA were > undetectable in most of the children, according to the > study, directed by Emory's Chensheng Lu. > > " In conclusion, " the researchers wrote, " we were able > to demonstrate that an organic diet provides a > dramatic and immediate protective effect against > exposure to organophosphorus pesticides that are > commonly used in agricultural production. " > > Margaret Reeves, a staff scientist at the Pesticide > Action Network North America, based in San Francisco, > said the findings were " not surprising because we know > that food is an important source of [organophosphate] > exposure. Also, we know that these pesticides don't > last very long . in the body, and you can have a > relatively quick response " to a diet change. > > Pesticide manufacturers say that while low levels of > residue are detectable on many products, there is no > evidence that children are harmed by them. They say > that pesticides, which are the most highly tested and > regulated chemicals in the United States, are vital to > providing an affordable and plentiful world food > supply. > > But Reeves said the children's study " is a pretty > strong argument that [organic food] is a good way to > go, if you have access to it and can afford it. " > > Organic foods can be expensive and sometimes difficult > to find. But parents can minimize their children's > exposure if they substitute organic products for those > that contain the most residue. Experts advise parents > to wash produce and peel skins if they buy > conventional foods, but for foods that cannot be > peeled, such as grapes and strawberries, organic may > be a wise choice. > > In the late 1990s, U.S. Department of Agriculture data > showed that about 75% of foods sampled from > conventionally grown crops contained pesticide > residue, compared with 23% for organic products. > > The Consumers Union reported in 2000 that peaches, > apples, pears, grapes, green beans, spinach, winter > squash, strawberries and cantaloupe had the highest > levels of pesticide residues. Those with few residues > included bananas, broccoli, canned peaches, canned or > frozen peas, canned or frozen corn, milk, orange > juice, apple juice and grape juice. > > Thirty-five percent of peaches sampled by the USDA in > 2003 contained traces of chlorpyrifos, and 26% of the > celery in 2002 had malathion residue, according to the > new study. 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