vegetable/fruit pesticides - anywhere to test it locally?

[Awk]

I' wondering if anyone knows of a local place where one can bring some fruit or vegetables and have it tested for pesticide residues?

Recently Mrs. Awk has taken up buying guava fruit from a women who claims that on her farm, they wrap the guava in news paper and a cheap, general purpose, plastic bag which they tie together while the fruit is still on the tree. Thereafter they spray with pesticides, but the woman claims, they do not use much pesticide, and it's targeted at the leaves and other parts of the three, rather than than the fruit itself, which is protected by paper and plastic bag. She showed Mrs. Awk some fruits that were still wrapped in paper and plastic bags after Mrs. Awk indicated her husband did not believe this story.

Assuming pesticides are not overwhelmly expensive, I cannot imagine there being any economical reason for doing the above. Even if they are able to do with less pesticide spraying, the time and labour involved in wrapping each individual fruit must surely more than make up for any savings on pesticide, making this woman's guava more expensive than other guava. Yet her price is not more expensive than others, which makes me think this is a "too good to be true" thing. Originally the woman, for what reason I am not exactly sure, volunteered to Mrs. Awk this information, telling Mrs. Awk she did not need to peel this particular guava before eating (we normally peel the fruit before giving it to Awk Jr.).

I've since read that some experiments have indeed been done (in India was what I found) using the above method; wrapping it in paper, and then in plastic, and that it, at least in the paper I briefly browsed, was shown to reduce pesticide residue by a significant amount, even though the tree was still sprayed with pesticides.

Now, rather than insisting that the woman is lying through her teeth, I wonder if there's a place in CM where one can bring some fruit and have it tested?

I imagine comparing the pesticide amount on guava fruit from this woman with guava from some other random seller would provide a good indication on whether what she says is true or not. Barring that, I'm tempted to see if I can order a home testing kit from a reputable company, but I suspect that will be quite a bit more expensive for a quality kit I could trust somewhat.

Naturally, I'd love for this to be true. That indeed, this is a woman/family who are doing their best to produce cleaner, less pesticide laden fruit, and they still manage to sell it at the same price as others. Hell, even if it costed double of what others sold it for, I'd be happy to buy it.

[MESmith]

Can't help you with the testing, but unless my wife wraps the guava in paper/plastic bag, the fruit gets eaten by bugs. We don't spray our trees in our garden.

Edited October 8, 2015 by MESmith

[elektrified]

Can't help you where to go but for sure the laboratories exist here as one news channel about 2 years ago bought fruit and veggies from all the C.M. markets and had them tested and the results were that almost ALL of the produce contained up to 25!!! different chemicals (even the ones marketed as being organic).

What we do with everything we buy; regardless where - even Doi Kham produce - is to soak them in Sodium Bicarbonate for 20 minutes and then rinse twice with bottled water. The Thai government recommends everyone do this with produce purchased in the Kingdom.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Sorry, but what's soaking in a solution of sodium bicarb and water supposed to accomplish?

When I read about pesticide issues some time back, the general scientific recommendation seemed to be to wash and scrub under running clean water as a better way to remove pesticide residues vs. soaking veggies.

[xen]

If the growers use contact pesticides then washing may wash off some of the pesticide but if the chemicals are systemic pesticides that enter the vascular system of the plant then only strict observance of the withholding period will /may prevent contamination. How many farmers would wait ,say, 21 days between the last spray and harvesting ? And how safe is the withholding period if recommended dosage rates are not used ? .

[PattayaClub]

If the growers use contact pesticides then washing may wash off some of the pesticide but if the chemicals are systemic pesticides that enter the vascular system of the plant then only strict observance of the withholding period will /may prevent contamination. How many farmers would wait ,say, 21 days between the last spray and harvesting ? And how safe is the withholding period if recommended dosage rates are not used ? .

This is a big problem here.

And note that even if the fruit is bagged and the grower sprays the leaves with a systemic pesticide, the bag does nothing, The pesticide will permeate the fruit. Washing it won't do a thing. Ask the woman exactly what she is spraying, then do your research and report back here.

[THAIJAMES]

Can't help you where to go but for sure the laboratories exist here as one news channel about 2 years ago bought fruit and veggies from all the C.M. markets and had them tested and the results were that almost ALL of the produce contained up to 25!!! different chemicals (even the ones marketed as being organic).

What we do with everything we buy; regardless where - even Doi Kham produce - is to soak them in Sodium Bicarbonate for 20 minutes and then rinse twice with bottled water. The Thai government recommends everyone do this with produce purchased in the Kingdom.

Thats what I do, however I go one step further. After the Sodium Bicarbonate I then soak the vegetables in vinegar for 15 minutes before rinsing in drinking water.

Vinegar dilutes some types of chemicals and Sodium Bicarbonate absorbs others.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Thats what I do, however I go one step further. After the Sodium Bicarbonate I then soak the vegetables in vinegar for 15 minutes before rinsing in drinking water.

Vinegar dilutes some types of chemicals and Sodium Bicarbonate absorbs others.

What kinds of portions/concentrations are you using for that?

[THAIJAMES]

Thats what I do, however I go one step further. After the Sodium Bicarbonate I then soak the vegetables in vinegar for 15 minutes before rinsing in drinking water.

Vinegar dilutes some types of chemicals and Sodium Bicarbonate absorbs others.

What kinds of portions/concentrations are you using for that?

To be honest with you, its not scientific and I probably over do it. Vinegar and Sodium Bicarbonate are both harmless. I do about 1/4 cup of Sodium Bicarbonate for a 1-2 gallons of water and 1/2 cup of Vinegar. Don't measure either and just toss some into the water.

I should add that not only does this help remove chemicals but the vinegar is likely to help remove or control any salmonella and other harmful organisms.

Edited October 9, 2015 by THAIJAMES

[MESmith]

I remember a few years ago, a report quoted here on TV/CM about veggies being tested for pesticides. Long green beans were way over the safe limit. We grow them in our garden, no spray needed, never have any pests eat them. So why are they sprayed by farmers? "Cos we always do". How many other crops here are pest resistant but get sprayed anyway?

Btw, was up in the hills hiking recently. Couldn't believe the amount of pesticides being sprayed

Mon Jam was one place where spraying seemed excessive.

Edited October 9, 2015 by MESmith

[Redfan]

I remember a few years ago, a report quoted here on TV/CM about veggies being tested for pesticides. Long green beans were way over the safe limit. We grow them in our garden, no spray needed, never have any pests eat them. So why are they sprayed by farmers? "Cos we always do". How many other crops here are pest resistant but get sprayed anyway?

Btw, was up in the hills hiking recently. Couldn't believe the amount of pesticides being sprayed

they don't care because they don't eat those things they plant

[Bill97]

I remember a few years ago, a report quoted here on TV/CM about veggies being tested for pesticides. Long green beans were way over the safe limit. We grow them in our garden, no spray needed, never have any pests eat them. So why are they sprayed by farmers? "Cos we always do". How many other crops here are pest resistant but get sprayed anyway?

Btw, was up in the hills hiking recently. Couldn't believe the amount of pesticides being sprayed

they don't care because they don't eat those things they plant

Get to know the farmers, they will sell you some from the corner they do not spray and eat themselves. Common practice.

[konjianghai]

You can buy a kit to test it out.

http://www.asianmedic.com

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

You can buy a kit to test it out.

http://www.asianmedic.com

I'm not sure what's going on with that website.

When I view their products in my browser, there are no prices listed for anything, in THB or any other currency.