Random inspection of food items reveals high pesticide contamination
A random inspection of 144 samples of food by the Department of Medical Sciences revealed that 6.2% of the items, especially Chinese kale and oranges, carried excessive levels of pesticide.
Dr Yongyos Thamwut, deputy permanent secretary of the Public Health Ministry, said now that many people have started only consuming vegetables, fruits and grains in line with the ongoing vegetarian festival, they should ensure all items they consume come from reliable sources.
Yongyos, who also doubles as director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences, said all food products should have labels specifying production location, date and clear identification numbers. If the production source is not up to standard, the edibles may be adulterated and carry traces of eggs, milk and animal protein.
Apart from advising people to avoid food products that carry too much artificial flavouring, like fake meat, he also recommended that all vegetables and fruits be thoroughly cleaned before consumption.
Proper cleaning involves removing all soil residue and peeling or discarding inedible parts. Vegetables and fruits should also first be rinsed in clean water before being soaked in a mixture of water, vinegar and baking soda for 15 minutes to remove pesticides and then rinsed before consumption, he said.
