Agricultural Chemical Contamination

Poisonous chemicals may be introduced unintentionally through agricultural or industrial contamination of food, water, and soil. Other possible contaminants include toxic metals from various materials contacting foods or beverages and physical objects that enter food during processing or packaging.

There was a time when agricultural chemical contamination of food and water was a serious threat, but now the FDA sets limits on the use of various pesticides. Pesticide residues on foods are not allowed unless the concentration is below the tolerance level set for that chemical by the Environmental Protection Agency. Despite the widespread exposure of the public to low levels of pesticides, there is little solid information linking them with cncer or, for that matter, any other health problem. Isolated cases, however, in which pesticides were suspected of causing a cluster of cancer cases in a community, continue to pop up in the news, and it is known that occupational exposure to herbicides and pesticides increases the risk for cancer. As a precaution, all fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly washed during food preparation. Not only will this reduce the risk of chemical contamination, but it will also help to diminish the numbers of any pathogenic bacteria.