this post was submitted on 10 Aug 2023
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[–] Dearche@lemmy.ca 15 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I understand to a degree allowing an increase in pesticide use (though that'll seriously impact the water quality due to runoff), the only thing that the industry needs to do to reduce pesticide residue is to just spray the produce with water.

It's just a way to cheapen out the process at the expense of people's health. And I don't just mean the end shoppers', but also all the industry workers along the way. While I imagine the amount isn't a lot, but an increase in pesticide residue that makes it all the way through the supply chain increases how much the workers are exposed to as they handle the produce.

[–] cyborganism@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's a very good point. Wasn't there a study somewhere that found out that there were levels beyond what's accepted in mothers' breast milk of the pesticide called Roundup? And the reason was that the water supply was completely contaminated?

[–] Dearche@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 year ago

I seem to recall something like that.

Frankly speaking, I don't think there's any actively used pesticide that is particularly fine to ingest on a regular basis, even at extremely low levels. That stuff circulates throughout your entire body, and is particularly harmful to both fetuses and breastfeeding infants. And I imagine that pregnant/breastfeeding women are the group that is most conscious about eating healthily, which means tons of fresh fruits and vegetables.

[–] EhForumUser@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

the only thing that the industry needs to do to reduce pesticide residue is to just spray the produce with water.

Water is often the enemy you are applying the pesticide to combat; a practice known as desiccation. Granted, it seems everyone's favourite desiccant is no longer on the table for modification here.

[–] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They might just mean wash the final product before shipping it out to the grocery stores.

[–] EhForumUser@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

I see you've never worked with flour before. Once it meets water there is no turning back.

Granted, if you catch it earlier, wheat berries aren't that hard to run through the dryer, assuming you accept the environmental and financial cost. Get into beans, though... Good luck.

If you just mean something like Apples, which don't need to be dry, who doesn't already wash it before consumption already?

[–] Dearche@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 year ago

Well of course the moment you've processed the crop it's too late to wash them. I was mostly just talking about fruits and vegetables.

But for grains and legumes, washing them before hulling them shouldn't be a problem. Of course there's the issue of added costs, but spraying additional pesticides is also a cost.

[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Restaurants. Just on the basis of how many people eat at those this is important.

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