Residual pesticides in vegetables and fruits: Health hazards and dietary strategies for risk reduction

By Jyoti Ranjan Rout

The consumption of fruits and vegetables contaminated with pesticide residues poses a considerable health hazard to humans. Pesticides, which are frequently employed in farming to safeguard crops, can remain in the environment and accumulate in food items.

These residues are often detected in fruits and vegetables, which form a major part of human diets, particularly in developing nations where farming practices heavily depend on pesticides. Organic and inorganic compounds used as active ingredients in pesticides, particularly organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides, are known for their high toxicity and environmental persistence.

Although some toxic pesticides were banned many years ago, they are still found in agricultural products due to ignorance and/or