Some Pesticides in Food More Toxic than Sudan 1

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Thursday, 03 March 2005

Fears over Sudan 1 have been put in the shade by the discovery of even more damaging residues in our diet. More than 50 dangerous pesticides contaminate Britain's food, official tests reveal. All have been found to be poisonous or are suspected of causing cancer or having "gender bender" effects by international regulatory bodies.The revelation - in a survey of official testing results - will heighten concern about food contamination, after the withdrawal of more than 400 products contaminated with the prohibited dye Sudan 1 from shops and supermarkets.

The survey - carried out by the UK branch of Pesticide Action Network last December - examined the traces of pesticides found in food in tests carried out by the official Pesticide Residues Committee. Three pesticides - chlorothalonil, lindane and DDT - are identified as more likely to cause cancer than Sudan 1.

Full story: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=615219 (By Geoffrey Lean, Environment Editor, Independent on Sunday, 27 February 2005)