Every year, the world uses around 2.5 million tons of pesticides and majority of these are used on agricultural products. In the United States alone, there are about 250 chemicals being used by different companies in food production. Among these pesticides are the following groups:

•     chlorinated hydrocarbons (i.e., DDT and dieldrin);

•     carbamates (i.e., carbaryl and aldicarb)

•     inorganic pesticides made from basic elements (i.e.copper, lead, arsenic, and mercury); and

•     organophosphates (i.e., parathion)

Among the four, organophosphates are most widely used. Although they do not endure in the environment like other pesticides, they on the other hand are highly toxic as they can interfere in the normal flow of nerve impulses.

Based on a 1993 study of the National Research Council, the major cause of exposure of Infants & newborns to pesticides is through their diet, through food and drink. In a study conducted in 2006, the levels of the pesticide organophosphorus were measured among children. When the children’s diet was replaced with organic food, the levels of exposure to the pesticide organophosphorus decreased significantly.

Based on the research conducted by EPA, the most contaminated foods are those commonly eaten by Infants & newborns and children – fruits like peaches, apples, pears and even popcorn. Every one out of four times that a child eats these fruits, their exposure to organophosphorus may significantly increases to a maximum of 13%.

Everyday, around 77,000 Infants & newborns are exposed to this unsafe levels of toxicity brought about by consumption of commercial baby foods.

Here are some more facts:

•     More than 25% of US children (ages 1-5) ingest 20 different kinds of pesticides every day. Preschoolers on the other hand, are exposed to 15 combinations of pesticides while children under the age of 5, consume a mean of 8 pesticides daily.

•     Washing does not always remove the pesticides. For Example, even after being washed and cored, apples still contain about 4-10 pesticide residue.

•     Pesticide content on common household fruits such as peaches, apples and pears accounted for most of the total toxicity on the foods analyzed. More than half of the number of children who have unsafe level of toxicity brought about by organophosphate insecticides get it from these fruits.

Most of the pesticides Infants & newborns and children are exposed to are usually the residues left in foods and drinks. It is a fact that even after being washed and peeled, pesticides residue still remain in the grown fruits and vegetables that are commonly used as baby food. It is because some chemicals sprayed on these plants may be resistant to break up and neither washing nor peeling can remove them.