ScienceDaily (Dec. 16, 2008) — In the first worldwide study of pesticides in fruit-based soft drinks, researchers in Spain are reporting relatively high levels of pesticides in drinks in some countries, especially the United Kingdom and Spain. Drinks sampled from the United States, however, had relatively low levels, the researchers note.

Their study is scheduled for the December 15 issue of ACS' Analytical Chemistry, a semi-monthly journal.

In the report, Antonio Molina-Díaz, Amadeo Fernández-Alba and colleagues note that strict regulations limit pesticide levels in fresh fruits, vegetables, and drinking water. However, regulators have paid less attention to the presence of pesticides in soft drinks made from fruits. Scientists are increasingly concerned about the possible impact of pesticide-containing fruit juices on the health of children, who tend to consume large amounts of such soft drinks, they add.

The scientists used a sophisticated lab test to measure levels of a wide range of common pesticides in more than 100 fruit-based soft drink samples from 15 different countries. They tested for pesticides such as carbendazim, thiabendazole, and imazalil, and malathion, which are applied to crops after harvest and can remain on fruits and vegetables during processing. They found relatively large concentrations of pesticides, in the micrograms per liter range, in most of the samples analyzed. Samples from Spain and the U. K. had the highest levels of pesticides, while samples from the U. S. and Russia were among the lowest.

"Steps should be taken toward the removal of pesticides in these beverages by changing the way they are manufactured," the researchers conclude.

Story Source:

Adapted from materials provided by American Chemical Society, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

1. Juan F. Garci%u0301a-Reyes, Bienvenida Gilbert-Lo%u0301pez and Antonio Molina-Di%u0301az. Determination of Pesticide Residues in Fruit-Based Soft Drinks. Analytical Chemistry, 2008; 80 (23): 8966 DOI: 10.1021/ac8012708

enlarge

Elevated levels of pesticides appear in fruit-based soft drinks in many countries, scientists report. (Credit: iStockphoto/Pali Rao)

Related Stories

Study Links Soft Drinks And Fruit Drinks With Risk For Diabetes In African-American Women (July 30, 2008) — Researchers from Boston University's Slone Epidemiology Center have found that regular consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks and fruit drinks is associated with an increased risk for type 2 ...  > read more

Sugary Soft Drinks Linked To Increased Risk Of Gout In Men (Feb. 1, 2008) — Consumption of sugar sweetened soft drinks and fructose is strongly associated with an increased risk of gout in men, finds a study. Gout is a joint disease which causes extreme pain and swelling. It ...  > read more

Fruit Juices Contain More Vitamin C Than Their Labels Indicate, Spanish Study Finds (Oct. 7, 2009) — A team of pharmacists from Spain has established that the levels of vitamin C in many fruit juices and soft drinks are far higher than those indicated on their labels by the manufacturers. This ...  > read more

Study Shows Fruit Juice/Drink Link To Children's Weight Gain (Mar. 29, 2007) — Australian schoolchildren who drink fruit juices and fruit drinks are more likely to be overweight or obese than those who don't, Deakin researchers have ...  > read more

Search ScienceDaily

3D Dental Implants