Dietary pesticides (99.99% all natural).

Abstract

The toxicological significance of exposures to synthetic chemicals is examined in the context of exposures to naturally occurring chemicals. We calculate that 99.99% (by weight) of the pesticides in the American diet are chemicals that plants produce to defend themselves. Only 52 natural pesticides have been tested in high-dose animal cancer tests, and about half (27) are rodent carcinogens; these 27 are shown to be present in many common foods. We conclude that natural and synthetic chemicals are equally likely to be positive in animal cancer tests. We also conclude that at the low doses of most human exposures the comparative hazards of synthetic pesticide residues are insignificant.

Editor’s Choice: Evaluating the Potential for Adverse Interactions within Genetically Engineered Breeding Stacks

“…These include signaling activities in response to environmental stress or attack from plant pathogens and pests. Some metabolites have beneficial effects, while others are toxic when fed at high levels to sensitive animal species (Ames et al, 1990). Although particular metabolites tend to be specific to some plant families, there are metabolites of concern in a number of common food and feed crops, including apple (Malus domestica), apricot (Prunus armeniaca), Brassica spp., celery (Apium graveolens), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), potato (Solanum tuberosum), cherry (Prunus avium or Prunus cerasus), and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor; Beier, 1990;D'Mello et al, 1991;Stewart, 2009).…”

Neurological and mental health outcomes among conventional and organic farmers in Indiana, USA

“…Organic farming methods, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP), apply products using health-friendly methods that preserve the environment and minimize the use of synthetic materials including synthetic pesticides and antibiotics [2,3]. However, health concerns for organic farmers are also evident in the literature as they are exposed to toxic organic materials and pesticides derived from natural sources [4][5][6][7][8]. Although both conventional and organic farmers report respiratory health outcomes the types of outcomes may be different.…”

“…Many synthetic and natural pesticides, used more frequently by conventional and organic farmers, respectively, may be associated with occupational and environmental health concerns due to various levels of carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic or clastogenic toxicities [4][5][6][7][8]. Associations of pesticide exposures with nervous system outcomes, such as abnormalities in nerve conduction, frequent neurological symptoms were demonstrated in epidemiological studies across the globe [10][11][12][13][14][15][16].…”

The expression of two p-glycoprotein (pgp) genes in transgenic caenorhabditis elegans is confined to intestinal cells

“…Significant amounts of potent natural toxins, produced by plants and microbes to defend themselves against predators, are present in food and in the environment (Ames et al, 1990). The defense against these toxins may have been a selective force in the evolution of P-glycoproteins.…”