![]() For pesticides that are more lipophilic, their residues usually remain on the coat of the seed although a little amount tend to move to the portion with a high amount of triglycerides such as the germ. Usually cereal crops are sprayed with insecticides before storage so that they can be preserved for more than one year without being attacked by pests. ![]() Findings from various studies have documented that for some cereal grains the pesticide residues are mainly found in the outer covering hence processing such as milling and related processes can bring about the reduction in the amount of the pesticide residues. There are different route through which humans get exposed to pesticides from food. 8 Distribution of pesticide residues in different food ![]() This has also enhanced the protection of crops and livestocks thereby increasing the overall incomes of the farmers. Agricultural productivity has increased significantly due to the application of pesticides to farm lands. They include herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, avicides and nematicides. 7 Basically pesticides include chemical substances that are used in the regulation of plant growth, thinning of fruit, inhibiting the process of sprouting, defoliating as well as substances that are used in plants during transportation or storage for effective protection against organisms that could affect their quality or cause deterioration. They are also used in farm animals so as to protect them against ecto parasites such as lice, bed bugs etc. 6 They are usually applied at various stages of cultivation including production, early storage, distribution and feed processing. Pesticides are substances that are introduced into the environment with the primary intent of controlling or destroying pests, animals as well as unwanted plant species. The variation in the quantity of pesticides applied during farming calls for the need to continually assess their presence in food. The residue of pesticides in this produce constitutes serious harms to man and other organisms. The application is usually done prior to the growing process as well as after harvesting of the crops. The impact of pesticide application on the overall yield of crops is remarkable. Concept of pesticide residuesĪccording to the WHO, pesticide residue refers to any chemical substance or a combination of substances present in food for animals or man that comes from the application of pesticide including various derivatives like conversion and degradation products, impurities and metabolites that have toxicological significance. However the general acceptance of this new trend in developing nations has been largely on the poor side due to several reasons. 3 The need to resolve problems associated with global challenge of food security has resulted to the current shift in emphasis to organic based farming. Pesticides are also of concern due to their potential of being carried across the various components of the environment. Pesticides are therefore biocidal in nature and when applied to plants they eventually come in contact with man through crops. The essence of pesticides application is for the control of varieties of weeds, disease causing organisms, and pests that are capable of causing damage to plants. One of the prominent reasons for the use of chemical substances in agricultural farmlands is for the protection of crops from various pests, thereby boosting the overall agricultural yield and productivity. For African countries the usage makes up about 25%, with most common cases in the cultivation of vegetables. 1 The highest users of pesticides are Europe, followed by China and then the United States of America. On a global scale, the average usage of acaricides, fungicides, herbicides and fungicides was 353,000, 566,000, and 342,000 respectively. The use of pesticides in agriculture has further increased due to fast growing human population which is estimated to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, hence the fear of the impact of this population on food security.
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