Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Murderous vegetables & contributing

The headline declaims, 'Pesticides found in a third of our food!' Link

Hmm, OK, let's look at this. How much food is produced in this country in the total absence of pesticides? I'm amazed it's only a third, to be honest.

In 1.7% of cases the chemical residues exceeded maximum legal limits, according to the Pesticide Residue Committee's 2005 annual report.
That means 1.7% of the third fell over the limit. That's 0.56% recurring of overall food volume exceeds the limit. And we don't know *by how much* it exceeds the limit.

A further 30.2% of the 3,787 items surveyed during last year had pesticide traces within those limits. In 2004 only 1.09% of samples contained pesticide traces above the statutory limits.
Wow. A variation of 0.61% in a year, from a positive sample of a third of the overall sample.

"In fact, in the fruit where direct comparisons can be made - with apples and pears..." I don't think I need to point out too much here.

"They justify this by suggesting that pesticides found in food under what they term Maximum Residue Levels, simply doesn't count and can be ignored.
Ummm..... yes. That's because pesticides in micromolar amounts won't harm you. CO2 is toxic and is present in the atmosphere, but I'm still typing this!

The Soil Association thinks most parents disagree with this extraordinarily complacent and unscientific view.
... as do, evidently, the Daily Mail. How many parents are aware of the existence of the Soil Association, who have a vested interest in shifting supposedly pesticide-free overpriced sh*t-smeared organic midget veg. But, I digress.

DRUMROLL: And, now, ladies and gentlemen, we get the moneyshot....
The increase is due to more imported exotic fruit and vegetables being tested, the Committee said.
FOREIGN FOOD! DARKIE FOOD! FROM OTHER COUNTRIES! IT'S GOING TO KILL US ALL!


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We've already had some interest from contributors. If you'd like to submit anything, email me at moai *AT* mysterious dot co dot UK and we'll sort it out.

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