Fruit-based soft drinks produced in the UK have abnormally high levels of pesticides, according to a new study.
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 UK and Spain.
In the study, Antonio Molina-Díaz and Amadeo Fernández-Alba 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 soft drinks, the study reports.
The scientists used a sophisticated 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 litre range, in most of the samples analyzed. Samples from Spain and the UK. had the highest levels of pesticides, while samples from the US and Russia had the least.
"Steps should be taken toward the removal of pesticides in these beverages by changing the way they are manufactured," said the researchers.
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