Veggies and fruits in UAE safe to eat

Vegetables and fruits sold in the country are safe to eat and are allowed into the market only after they pass stringent inspections, according to a senior industry official.

The reassurance comes following reports in India that most of the country’s vegetables contain traces of banned pesticides, some even resulting in cancer, damage to kidneys and lungs and neurological disorders.

Sixty per cent of the UAE’s vegetables are imported from India, while the rest comes from Oman, Egypt and other markets.

A recent survey by Consumer Voice (Voluntary Organisation in the Interest of Consumer Education), an initiative that was started in 1983 by the students and teachers of Delhi University, found at least five banned chemical substances in most of the 193 samples of 35 different kinds of vegetables picked up from markets in three major cities.

“Every container of vegetable and fruits that lands at the Dubai port undergoes a stringent test and is only allowed into the market after it is found safe for consumption,” said one senior Dubai Municipality official.

Apart from the municipality’s initiative, there are different measures at the federal level and the more stringent regulations by the Ministry of Environment and Water.

According to Faisal K, manager at Green Belt Foodstuff, only export quality foodstuff is imported from India and other markets.

“We should also understand that the fruits and vegetables that are meant for exports maintain high standards and also follow some internal standards in India,” he said.

Any violations, he said, are strictly handled.

“Local officials here follow a strict inspection mechanism. Samples are tested regularly and any goods that violate the standards are immediately banned and fines are imposed on the importer and the exporters are blacklisted,” he added.

The UAE had recently banned the import of curry leaves from India, following the discovery of high levels of banned pesticides.

The number of pesticides being monitored by the Ministry of Environment and Water has more than doubled from 92 to 190 as it strives to protect public health and ensure quality of fresh farm produce.

The survey found that out of five internationally-banned pesticides, four were found to be common in vegetables sold in the Indian markets. The banned chemicals included chlordane, a potent central nervous system toxin, endrin, which can cause headache nausea and dizziness, and heptachor that can damage the liver and decrease fertility.

According to a report published in the November edition of its online magazine while the pesticide residue limit in India has not been reviewed for the past 30 years, its use in India is 750 times higher than the European standards.

The UAE has been working hard to tighten the control of pesticides and has been strictly monitoring imported fruits and vegetables.

One recent report quoting Dr Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, said the list of banned pesticides has been increased from 92 in 2008 to 190. He added that more tests on different varieties of vegetables and fruits are going on.

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