Pesticides in food: assessing the risk to children

Pesticides are widely-used chemical preparations: they protect agricultural crops against disease and infestation, they remove weeds from pavements, and they combat vermin in and around homes. These products may also be harmful to other organisms, including humans. That is why they are only allowed onto the market after extensive safety assessment. In the Netherlands, the Board for the Authorisation of Pesticides (CTB) is responsible for making that assessment. This agency assesses issues such as whether sprayed agricultural produce is safe for consumers. To do so, it uses a scientific, internationally accepted method. In 1996, the United States revised several aspects of the usual approach, with a view to providing better protection for children. In Europe, the authorities have also started to reappraise their approval procedures for pesticides. As a precautionary step, standards for pesticides in baby food and baby formula have been tightened-up. In the Netherlands, and indeed throughout the world, the issue has given rise to an ongoing debate about whether the usual approval procedure would actually cause children to be harmed by sprayed food.

Committee

• Professor PJJ Sauer, Professor of Paediatric Medicine; Groningen University Hospital, Chairman
• Dr JH Brussaard, Nutritionist; TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Zeist
• JW Dornseiffen, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, The Hague, Consultant
• Professor VJ Feron, Emeritus Professor of Toxicology; Zeist
• Dr HFP Joosten, Toxicologist; Organon NV, Oss
• Dr JHCM Lammers, Neurotoxicologist; TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Zeist
• Professor D Lindhout, Paediatrician, Professor of Medical Genetics; University Medical Centre, Utrecht
• Professor H van Loveren, Professor of Immunotoxicology; University of Maastricht; also RIVM, Bilthoven
• Dr PWJ Peters, Former Professor of Teratology; Chief Inspector, Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, The Hague, Consultant
• Professor IMCM Rietjens, Professor of Toxicology; Wageningen University & Research Centre
• Dr HFG van Dijk, Health Council, The Hague, Scientific Secretary