The dilemma of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Abstract

In the World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), over 100 million people fall ill every year from foodborne diseases, of whom an estimated 37 000 die annually (disproportionally children). A number of studies have identified a clear relationship between occupational exposure to pesticides and a number of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). For example, respiratory symptoms were reported in 65.9% of farmers exposed to pesticides in Pakistan; lymphoproliferative disorders following exposure to pesticides in Egypt; and hepatocellular carcinoma in Yemen with 73.7% of farmers having a history of chemical contact with insecticides or fertilizers. However, a challenging task regarding the burden of foodborne disease is the attribution to chemicals in food as a source for NCDs, since this requires long-term epidemiological and exposure monitoring data.