Effectiveness of common household methods for removal of deltamethrin from vegetables

Abstract

The importance of fresh fruits and vegetables in a healthy diet is well-established but concerns about pesticide residues have raised questions about their safety. This study investigated the effectiveness of common household methods for decontaminating the deltamethrin residue from tomato, okra, bitter gourd, cowpea, and green chili. The residue was estimated using gas-chromatography. The technique was validated through recovery, limit of detection (LoD), limit of quantitation (LoQ). Various processing techniques, including washing with tap water, salt water, vinegar, baking soda solutions, blanching and sonication were evaluated. The study found that these household methods significantly reduced deltamethrin residues in the tested vegetables. Boiling water washing (blanching), and sonication with distilled water and vinegar solution washing led to reductions of approximately 70-80% in deltamethrin residues. Additionally, warm water washing and blanching were effective, with reduction percentages ranging from 46 to 79%. The results varied depending on the type of vegetable and the method employed. However, overall these techniques showed promise in reducing the deltamethrin residues. Therefore, it is important to adopt multiple decontamination strategies such as thorough washing and cooking, to mitigate the potential risks associated with pesticide residues in vegetables.