Effect of Vegetable Commercialization on Food Safety
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24203/ajafs.v9i2.6548Keywords:
Commercialization, Agrochemicals, Chemical residues, Producers, ConsumersAbstract
The commercialization of fresh vegetables is crucial in enhancing revenues from commercial vegetable farming and ensuring reliable supply of high-quality produce for consumers. However, this is only guaranteed under ethical application of agrochemicals beyond which can lead in a more pronounced public health as well as environmental hazards. The present paper sought to examine the influence of commercialization on food safety. Vegetable samples weighing between 1 to 2 kg were purchased from randomly selected producers in two major producing counties (Kiambu and Kirinyaga) in Kenya. All samples were freeze-dried and stored in an ice chess box, to minimize contamination. Then the samples were labeled, and transported to the laboratory for processing and testing. All approved samples were subjected to the QuEChERS preparation method for pesticides and quantified using gas chromatography equipped with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Lab results tested positive for 13 problematic pesticides including known carcinogens and highly hazardous agrochemicals such as Malathion, chlorothalonil and chlorpyrifos. The most common agrochemical was carbofuran (67%) in terms of insecticide. For the case of fungicides, the most common was mancozeb (60%) and metalaxyl (58%). Food safety issues are caused mainly by not observing preharvest intervals, excessive application of chemicals and use of illegal agrochemicals. Chemical residues in food mainly results in carcinogenic diseases (43 to 49%), stomach related problems (15 to 19%), eye related problems (10 to 15%), and skin related problems (11 to 14%) and breathing difficulties (10 to 12%). This study demonstrates that there is a problem of agrochemical use and food safety concerns and kale and tomato value chain.
References
Agudo, A., Cabrera, L., Amiano, P., Ardanaz, E., Barricarte, A., Berenguer, T., … Larranaga, N. (2007). Fruit and vegetable intakes, dietary antioxidant nutrients, and total mortality in Spanish adults: Findings from the Spanish cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Spain). The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85(6), 1634–1642.
Ahoudi, H., Gnandi, K., Tanouayi, G., Ouro-Sama, K., Yorke, J-C, Creppy, E.E., & Moesch, C. (2018). Assessment of pesticides residues contents in the vegetables cultivated in urban area of Lome (southern Togo) and their risks on public health and the environment, Togo. International Journal of Biological Chemical Sciences, 12(5), 2172–2185.
Atuhaire, A., Kaye, E., Mutambuze, I. L., Matthews, G., Friedrich, T., & Jørs, E. (2017). Assessment of dithiocarbamate residues on tomatoes conventionally grown in Uganda and the effect of simple washing to reduce exposure risk to consumers. Environmental Health Insights, 11, 1178630217712218.
D’Alessandro, S. P., Caballero, J., Lichte, J., & Simpkin, S. (2015). Agricultural Sector Risk Assessment (Report Number 97887; p. 138).
De Silva, P.M.C., Pathiratne, A., & van Gestel, C.A. (2010). Toxicity of chlorpyrifos, carbofuran, mancozeb and their formulations to the tropical earthworm Perionyx excavatus. Applied Soil Ecology, 44(1), 56-60.
Elgueta, S., Valenzuela, M., Fuentes, M., Meza, P., Manzur, J. P., Liu, S., ... & Correa, A. (2020). Pesticide residues and health risk assessment in tomatoes and lettuces from farms of Metropolitan Region Chile. Molecules, 25(2), 355.
Fatma, F., Verma, S., Kamal, A., & Srivastava, A. (2018). Phytotoxicity of pesticides mancozeb and chlorpyrifos: correlation with the antioxidative defence system in Allium cepa. Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants, 24(1), 115–123.
Gammon, D.W., Liu, Z. and Becker, J.M. (2012). Carbofuran occupational dermal toxicity, exposure and risk assessment. Pest Management Science, 68, 362–370.
Gitonga, K.J., Gathambiri, C., Kamau, M., Njuguna, K., Muchui, M., Gatambia, E., & Kiiru, S. (2010). Enhancing small scale farmers’ income in mango production through agro-processing and improved access to markets. Transforming Agriculture for Improved Livelihoods through Agricultural Product Value Chains. Proceedings of the 12th KARI Biennial Scientific Conference, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya, 1336–1342.
Hou, B. & Wu, L. (2010). Safety impact and farmer awareness of pesticide residues. Food and Agricultural Immunology, 21(3), 191–200.
Inonda, R., Njage E., Ngeranwa, J., & Mutai, C. (2015). Determination of pesticide residues in locally consumed vegetables in Kenya. African Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 4(1), 1-6.
Jara, A.E. & Winter, C.K. (2019). Safety levels for organophosphate pesticide residues on fruits, vegetables, and nuts. International Journal of Food Contamination, 6(6), 1–8.
Kaye, E., Nyombi, A., Mutambuze, I.L., & Muwesa, R. (2015). Mancozeb residue on tomatoes in Central Uganda. Journal of Health Pollution, 5(8), 1-6.
Kenmore, P.E., Stannard, C., & Thompson, P.B. (2004). The ethics of sustainable agricultural intensification (Vol. 4). FAO, Rome.
Kariathi, V., Kassim, N., Kimanya, M. (2016). Pesticide exposure from fresh tomatoes and its relationship with pesticide application practices in Meru district. Cogent Food and Agriculture, 2, 1-12.
Kiwango, P.A., Kassim, N. & Kimanya, M.E. (2018). Pesticide residues in vegetables: practical interventions to minimize the risk of human exposure in Tanzania. Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 26(1), 1-18.
Lozowicka, B., Abzeitova, E., Sagitov, A., Kaczynski, P., Toleubayev, K., & Li, A. (2015). Studies of pesticide residues in tomatoes and cucumbers from Kazakhstan and the associated health risks. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 187, 609.
Mabe, F. N., Talabi, K., & Danso-Abbeam, G. (2017). Awareness of health implications of agrochemical use: Effects on maize production in Ejura-Sekyedumase municipality, Ghana. Advances in Agriculture, 2017, 1–11.
Muriithi, B. W., & Matz, J. A. (2015). Welfare effects of vegetable commercialization: Evidence from smallholder producers in Kenya. Food Policy, 50, 80–91
Mutuku, M., Njogu, P., & Nyagah, G. (2014). Assessment of pesticide use and application practices in tomato based agrosystems in Kaliluni sub location, Kathiani District, Kenya. Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology, 16(2), 34–44.
Nguetti, J. H., Imungi, J. K., Okoth, M. W., Wang’ombe, J., Mbacham, W. F., & Mitema, S. E. (2018). Assessment of the knowledge and use of pesticides by the tomato farmers in Mwea Region, Kenya. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 13(8), 379–388.
Nicklett, E. J., Semba, R. D., Xue, Q.-L., Tian, J., Sun, K., Cappola, A. R., … Fried, L. P. (2012). Fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, and mortality in older community-dwelling women. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 60(5), 862–868.
Njoku, K.L., Ezeh, C.V., Obidi, F.O. & Akinola, M.O. (2017). Assessment of pesticide residue levels in vegetables sold in some Markets in Lagos State, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Biotechnology, 32, 53–60.
Nyamari, J., Mugendi, B., Keraka M., & Agwata, D. (2014). Effectiveness of Food Safety Training on Food Safety Knowledge and Practices of Hospital Food Handlers in Selected Hospitals in Kenya. Elite Research Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, 1(1), 12–21.
Okado, M. (2001). Background Paper on Kenya off-season and specialty fresh fruits and vegetables: Lessons of experience from the Kenya horticultural industry. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Regional Workshop for Horticultural Economies in Africa. Nairobi, Kenya.
Okello, J. J., & Swinton, S. M. (2010). From Circle of Poison to Circle of Virtue: Pesticides, Export Standards and Kenya’s Green Bean Farmers. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 61(2), 209–224.
Otieno, P.O., J.O. Lalah, M. Virani, I.O. Jondiko & K.W. Schramm. 2011. Carbofuran and its toxic metabolites provide forensic evidence for Furadan exposure in vultures (Gyps africanus) in Kenya. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 84, 536–544.
Oyebode, O., Gordon-Dseagu, V., Walker, A., & Mindell, J.S. (2014). Fruit and vegetable consumption and all-cause, cancer and CVD mortality: Analysis of Health Survey for England data. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 68(9), 856–862.
Oyugi, R.B. (2013). Pesticide residues in some vegetables rotated with tobacco using HPLC, and farmers’ awareness of pesticide health effects in Kuria- Migori, Kenya (Thesis, Kenyatta University). Retrieved from https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/6546
Prabhakar, S., Sano, D and Srivastava, N. (2010). Food Safety in the Asia-Pacific Region: Current Status, Policy Perspectives and a Way Forward. In Sustainable Consumption and Production in the Asia-Pacific Region: Effective Responses in a Resource Constrained World, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, White Paper III, pp 215-238. Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Hayama, Japan.
Rahman, S., Mele, M.A., Lee, Y.-T., & Islam, M.Z. (2021). Consumer preference, quality, and safety of organic and conventional fresh fruits, vegetables, and cereals. Foods, 10(105), 1-17.
Schneider, M., Norman, R., Steyn, N and Bradshaw, D. (2007). Estimating the burden of disease attributable to low fruit and vegetable intake in South Africa in 2000. South Africa Medical Journal, 97(8):717-23.
Tilman, D., Balzer, C., Hill, J., & Befort, B. L. (2011). Global food demand and the sustainable intensification of agriculture. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(50), 20260–20264.
Toroitich, F. J., Knapp, M., Nderitu, J. H., Olubayo, F. M., & Obonyo, M. (2014). Susceptibility of geographically isolated populations of the Tomato red spider mite (Tetranychus evansi Baker & Pritchard) to commonly used acaricides on tomato crops in Kenya. Journal of Entomological and Acarological Research, 46(1), 18-25.
Trichopoulou, A., Costacou, T., Bamia, C., & Trichopoulos, D. (2003). Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and survival in a Greek population. The New England Journal of Medicine, 348(26), 2599–2608.
Unnevehr, L.J. (2000). Food safety issues and fresh food product exports from LDCs. Agricultural Economics, 23(3), 231–240.
Waltner-Toews, D., & Lang, T. (2000). A new conceptual base for food and agricultural policy: The emerging model of links between agriculture, food, health, environment and society. Global Change and Human Health, 1(2), 116–130.
WHO. (2014). Food safety. Fact sheet N0. 399 [Informational]. Retrieved from World Health Organization Fact sheets
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Mbiti Job M'ithibutu, Elisha Otieno Gogo, Fikirini Lugogo Mangale, Gregory Baker
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
- Papers must be submitted on the understanding that they have not been published elsewhere (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, review, or thesis) and are not currently under consideration by another journal published by any other publisher.
- It is also the authors responsibility to ensure that the articles emanating from a particular source are submitted with the necessary approval.
- The authors warrant that the paper is original and that he/she is the author of the paper, except for material that is clearly identified as to its original source, with permission notices from the copyright owners where required.
- The authors ensure that all the references carefully and they are accurate in the text as well as in the list of references (and vice versa).
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
- The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author.