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NEW DELHI, INDIA, January 10, 2004: The Centre for Science and Environment conducted a study in November and December of 2003 to determine the level of pesticides in food eaten by the average consumer in India. Sunita Narain director of CSE says, “The results were startling. Of the eight pesticides, the theoretical maximum daily intake (TMDI) for five pesticides was found to be 140 per cent to 7,218 per cent of accepted norms worldwide. The results were published in the CSE’s magazine Down To Earth.” Apparently the Insecticide Act of 1968 gives guidelines to the Central Insecticide Board and Registration committee when a pesticide is registered. However, these guidelines do not set the Acceptable Daily Intake of a pesticide that can be consumed by an individual on a daily basis without adversely affecting their health, nor do they establish a maximum residue level for food commodities. 180 pesticides have been registered in India but only 71 of them have a MRL. A sampling of results are as follows: rice has a contamination level of 87.4%, pulses 43%, vegetables 56.62%, fruit 42%, and spices 71.5%. Earlier studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research between 1986 and 1991 on milk, milk products and baby food in 12 states revealed the following, “It found that of the total of 2,205 milk samples, HCH was found in 85 per cent of the samples, and DDT contamination in 82 per cent of the samples.”



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