Danger lurks in that green leaf garnish

But most vegetables pesticide-free

Any gourmet will tell you that garnishing with fresh or fried leaves enhances the visual appeal of a dish, besides adding to its flavour. But, much of the leaves bought for garnishing in households across the State last year could have been contaminated with dangerous levels of pesticide residue.

The annual report (2015) of the Pesticide Residue Research and Analytical Laboratory on production and marketing of safe-to-eat vegetables, fruits and food products reveals high levels of pesticide residue in curry, mint and coriander leaves, ie., above the Maximum Residue Level (MRL) prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Vegetable cowpea and yellow capsicum were also found to be carrying abnormally high levels of pesticide residue.

Of the 58 varieties of vegetables that were collected for testing from sales outlets in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Malappuram and Kasaragod districts from January to December 2015, only five were found to have pesticide residue exceeding the prescribed limit. As many as 44 vegetable varieties were certified pesticide-free and safe to eat, while nine varieties, including bitter gourd, big chilli, green capsicum, tomato, baji chilli, parsley, green chilli and sambar mix, carried pesticide traces below the permissible MRL.

Some pesticides detected in the heavily contaminated samples include chlorpyrifos, ethion, cypermethrin, profenophos, dimethoate, bifenthrin, lambda cyhalothrin, cyfluthrin, phorate and malathion. Profenophos is a neurotoxic pesticide, which is banned in Kerala and restricted to tea and cotton in other States, while the others are possible carcinogens.

According to Thomas Biju Mathew, principal investigator of the project, a systematic analysis of samples and its publication through the media could have gone a long way in ensuring pesticide safety. With enhanced awareness, farmers today use pesticides more judiciously, he says.

With no reference standards, the health hazard caused by pesticide residue in condiments and spices remains unknown. It is a hidden danger.

An official High levels of pesticide residue found in curry, mint and coriander leaves.