BANGKOK, Oct 19 (TNA) – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advocated for a ban on three toxic farm chemicals while the agency officials have monitored chemical residues on locally-grown and imported fruits and vegetables, said FDA secretary-general Dr. Paisarn Dunkum.
Stressing that the FDA’s stance against three chemical substances including paraquat, chlorpyrifos and glyphosate, he said these chemicals pose harm to human health.
In the northern province of Nong Bua Lamphu, there were reports of patients, suffering from necrotising fasciitis, also known as a flesh-eating disease, which was suspected to be linked to exposure to paraquat.
Residual amount of this toxic agricultural herbicide was found in infants and mothers, he said.
Glyphosate is likely to cause cancer and interfere with endocrine systems, which could lead to diabetes and kidney diseases. Chlorpyrifos could cause abnormal brain development in children, he added.
The FDA has laid regulations for locally-grown fruits and vegetables that they must be tested for chemical residues at packing warehouses and they must be traceable back to the farms.
The FDA also has set up 52 checkpoints nationwide to test on imported fruits and vegetables whether they are contaminated with chemical substances, and if they are they would be banned from entering Thailand, said Dr. Paisan.
Since the beginning of this year, the FDA has found chlorpyrifos residue in 37 out of 456 samples of fruits and vegetables, equivalent to 8.11 per cent of the total, he said.
Therefore, the FDA supports the decision to ban the three hazardous chemical substances, Dr. Paisan added. (TNA)
