Tokyo Food Safety Information Center » Tokyo Metropolitan Government food safety FAQ »I’m concerned about pesticide residue on fruits and vegetables; can pesticide residues be washed off?
I’m concerned about pesticide residue on fruits and vegetables; can pesticide residues be washed off?
I’m concerned about pesticide residue on fruits and vegetables; can pesticide residues be washed off?
- Are they harmful to health if not washed off?
The amount of pesticides remaining on fruits and vegetables is not high enough to affect human health. However, it is still best to wash your fruits and vegetables to remove dirt.
Standards for pesticide residue on food are set in the Food Sanitation Act. Foods with pesticide residues exceeding these levels are prohibited from sale. In addition, the Agricultural Chemicals Control Act establishes how pesticides may be used. Accordingly, pesticide residues on commercially available fruits and vegetables either cannot be detected or are incredibly small. The same is true for imported fruits and vegetables.
Note that some pesticides are water soluble and will be washed away when washing mud and grime from your fruits and vegetables. However, regardless of the pesticide used, residual amounts on commercial produce are incredibly small and there is no need to overly wash your fruits and vegetables to get rid of them.
Note that some pesticides are water soluble and will be washed away when washing mud and grime from your fruits and vegetables. However, regardless of the pesticide used, residual amounts on commercial produce are incredibly small and there is no need to overly wash your fruits and vegetables to get rid of them.