Agricultural products fumigation poses risk of food contamination in Abakaliki, southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

Pesticides abuse has been a major problem in world agriculture, especially in developing countries where regulations on their use is very poor. In Nigeria, farmers use pesticides without the knowledge on their health and environmental effects. Hence the residue effects of pesticide in stored agricultural products were studied at the teaching and research centre, Department of Soil Science and Environmental Management, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, southeastern Nigeria. The experiment was carried out in the laboratory storage room with Dichlorvos (DD-Force) organophosphate pesticide containing chloride and phosphate as active ingredients. Fumigated and unfumigated agricultural products were studied namely: cereal crops (rice and maize) and pulse crop (groundnut). The presence of active ingredient residue in the products was examined at 30 and 60 days after storage (DAS). All the stored agricultural produce passed the chloride and phosphate maximum residue limit. Further screening of other pesticides and produce recommended.