Two separate studies reveal alarming levels of harmful chemicals and pesticide residues in common vegetables and fruits. The Bangladesh Safe Food Authority conducted the research.
The studies, led by researchers from Bangladesh Agricultural University, focused on nine types of vegetables, including potatoes, aubergines, radishes, tomatoes, red amaranth, cabbage, cucumbers, and beans.
The findings revealed the presence of toxic chemicals like lead, chromium, and cadmium in dangerous amounts. Red amaranth contained the most harmful levels of heavy metals.
Researchers warned that prolonged consumption of these vegetables could lead to serious health risks, including cancer.
For instance, red amaranth had cadmium levels as high as 704.32 micrograms per kg, while the maximum safe limit is 190 micrograms per kg.
Other vegetables such as aubergine, cucumber, and tomato also contained excessive cadmium, particularly samples collected from Narayanganj.
Similarly, high levels of chromium were detected in beans, cucumbers, ridge gourd, pointed gourd, and red amaranth.
The presence of lead was found in nine vegetables, including aubergines, cabbage, beans, cucumber, radish, and potatoes.
A second study led by Mohammad Delwar Hossain, a senior scientific officer at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, focused on pesticide residues in fruits.
His team tested 320 samples of mango, litchi, plum, and guava, finding pesticide residues in 39 samples (12.19%). The highest contamination was found in litchi (18.8%), while mango showed the lowest (8.8%).
The study, conducted across Dhaka, Rajshahi, Pabna, and Bogura during fruit seasons, identified 30 samples that exceeded the maximum residue limit (MRL) for pesticide levels.
Researchers at the seminar, organised by the Safe Food Authority in the capital, emphasised the need for strict monitoring, training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and public awareness campaigns to mitigate the risks posed by these toxic substances in food.