Effect of Food Processing on Reduction of Pesticide Residues in Vegetables

Pesticides are widely used in food production to increase food security despite the fact that they can have negative health effects on consumers. Pesticide residues have been found in various fruits and vegetables; both raw and processed. In this study, the effects of household processing treatments such as washing, peeling, juicing, freezing, cooking and frying were evaluated for their removal efficiency of pesticide residues from orange, strawberry and sweet pepper. Residues were indicated by using gas chromatography mass spectrum (GCMSD). In all three crops for real market samples were detected pesticide residues from 0.004 – 1.573 ppm., and the most pesticide residues was higher than MRL in orange was (lindane, P,P-DDD and fenvalerate), in strawberry was (aldrin, tetradifon, P,P-DDE, pirimiphos methyl and dimethoate) and in sweet pepper was (endosulfan II). Reduction of residue levels was indicated by processing treatments with an average response ratio ranging from 19% to 100%. Recommendation are provided for the conduct of storage or processing studies on pesticide residues in food so that data obtained is relevant, comparable and may be extrapolated to other situations.