As many as 13 of the 50 vegetables available in markets across the State and 11 of the 28 spices and condiments commonly used by households across the State are laced with pesticides, despite the overall downward trend in the contamination of staple edibles.
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The 2016 annual report of the Pesticide Residue Research and Analysis Laboratory under Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) reveals the steady fall in the pesticide residue detected in samples of food items, from a high of 18% in 2013 to 8% in 2016.
According to the report published on Wednesday, pesticide residue of various levels was detected in 46 samples of beans, green capsicum, celery, curry leaves, green chilly, ivy gourd, mint leaves, palak leaves, coriander leaves, brinjal, cauliflower, big chilly and cowpea collected from markets across the State over the year.
The deadly cocktail detected in different samples included Profenophos and Triazophis, pesticides banned by the State government in 2011, apart from Lambda cyhalothrin, Ethion, Fenvalerate, Chlorpyriphos, Cypermethrin, Quinalphos, Bifenthrin, Malathion and Dimethoate.
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Of the 40 fruits collected from markets, Simla apple, avocado, black grapes and mango were found to be contaminated. Of the 28 different spices and condiments used by consumers in the State, 11 including cardamom, chilli powder, crushed chilly, cumin powder, cumin seed, garam masala, dry ginger powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, kasuri methi, fennel seed and long dry chilli had traces of different types of pesticide.
Officials said most of the pesticide-laden items originated from farms in other States, mainly Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
The contamination of spices and condiments, especially chilly, posed a serious health risk requiring immediate intervention by the government to enforce food safety. The officials stressed the need for a coordinated effort to sensitise farmers in other States and encourage pesticide manufacturing companies to promote safer alternatives.