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quarryman · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 417 Location: Sligo

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspap.../0121/1232474671151.html?digest=1

We get more than we bargain for, from commercial growers.

Graney · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Posts: 81 Location: East Clare

I do wish the organic lobby wouldn't keep coming out with this tosh.

MRLs are nothing to do with health risk. They are an assessment of whether the pesticide in question has been applied to the crop in the right way and time limits before harvesting have been observed and so on. The Maximum Residue Level (MRL) is the maximum level of that pesticide that should be in the product if correct agricultural practice has been observed.

However, if when an MRL is being set for a pesticide/crop combination (they are set by EU and member Governments), it is above the ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) it is not allowed, which means that that pesticide cannot be used on the crop - no MRL - NO CAN USE.

But the converse of this is that the MRL may be many times below the ADI, so crops found in these tests to be over the MRL limit could still be well below the ADI - and remember that's the clinically tested safe limit for that pesticide if it is taken every day for a normal lifetime - something that's hardly likely with Chinese cabbage.

And the suggestion that “there are still issues of a cocktail effect caused by consuming small amounts beneath the MRL over a lifetime.” is totally unsubstantiated scare-mongering stuff.

I'm all for organic growing - and although I don't follow strict organic regimes, I minimise the amount of pesticides I use. But the organic movement does nobody any favours by scaring people off buying their cabbage or carrots from Aldi or SuperValu - when we know that for their health they should be eating far more fresh fruit and veg.