Georgina Cundall asked:




 

Eating fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to maintain good health. Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. They contain vitamins, phytochemicals, and minerals that can protect your body from diseases like diabetes, cancers, and heart diseases. Ideally, you should consume five kinds of vegetables and two kinds of fruits each day.

People are shifting to fruit and vegetable snacks instead of fast food and candy bars.  It is essential to understand the nutritional value of the foods you are eating to get the most benefits. Many people follow the rule of including at least five servings of fruits and vegetables in their daily diet. Be sure to include a variety of fruits and vegetables instead of sticking to only specified varieties.

Understanding the nutrient value of each fruit and vegetable can help you develop healthy food choices. Some common vegetables and fruits that may be included in your diet are corn, iceberg lettuce, potatoes, apples and bananas.

These are nutritious but you should also eat others for added nutritional benefits.  Eating fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C and fiber can help your body to guard you against numerous diseases.

It may be confusing when you try to make a good choice of fruits or vegetables for your consumption.

The following 5 Fabulous Tips for may help you make great choices of fruits and vegetables for your daily consumptions:

(I) Include at least one orange and one dark green vegetable to your daily diet to get some vitamin A and folate.

 

Orange vegetables include squash, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, or yams. You can substitute orange-colored fruit for an orange vegetable though the amount of vitamin A will, of course, vary.

 

Orange colored fruits include cantaloupes, nectarines, mangos, papaya, apricots, and peaches. Dark green vegetables include dandelion greens, broccoli, arugula, chard, mustard greens, collards, spinach, kale or romaine lettuce.

(II) Do not compromise on your nutrition even when you are short on time.

 

Pre-bagged vegetables, like leafy greens, baby carrots or green beans can be easily prepared for a salad or tossed for a quick stir-fry.

(III) Frozen or canned vegetables have some nutritional value but fresh is usually considered the best choice.

 

Frozen foods retain most of their nutrients.

 

Select only canned vegetables with low sodium content. Or, you can drain these vegetables to lower their salt and sodium content.

 

When choosing frozen fruit packed in juice, select unsweetened frozen fruit. Fruits in sugar syrup contain more calories.

 

Other fruits are sometimes packed in pear juice because it is sweeter than many other fruit juices.

(IV) Choose vegetables and fruits over just buying juices.

 

Fruits and vegetables eaten whole contain more fiber and help with easier digestion.

 

An occasional vegetable juice drink may be beneficial. However, avoid vegetables juices with high salt content.

 

Choose 100% fruit juices over fruit-flavored drinks. “Fruit juice drinks”, (they may contain very low amounts of the actual juice), cocktails or punches.

(V) Choose vegetables and fruits prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt.  Some products, like vegetable chips, ketchup, fruit candies, fruit jams or spreads and vegetable or fruit drinks or punches may have a high level of sugar or salt. It is best to avoid these foods. Also, avoid poutine, French fries, zucchini sticks, tempura, and onion rings if you can get, for instance, a baked sweet potato or potato or have a plate of salad instead.

To find out more fabulous information about how to incorporate a healthy lifestyle with more fruits and vegetables order your copy of Fabulous Fruit and Vegetables today.

 

Jesus Smay asked:


Dietary experts recommend that every person should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. The importance of fruits and vegetables to a healthy diet has been known for quite some time, but studies have shown that very few people eat the amount of fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy diet.

That’s a shame, since eating a sufficient number of fruits and vegetables just may be the single most effective thing you can do to improve your overall health. The five a day approach to healthy eating may be the single most important strategy you can adopt for a healthier lifestyle.

The many health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables have been established for quite some time now. Study after study has shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of certain cancers, heart disease and other chronic diseases and conditions. Some studies have suggested that as many as 35% of cancer deaths can be attributed to diet, and that diets high in fats and low in fruits and vegetables contributes to unnecessary cancer deaths.

Fruits and vegetables have a lot of advantages besides just their nutritional importance. For one thing, they taste great and add a great deal of variety to everyday meals. Fruits and vegetables come in such a wide variety of colors, textures and flavors that they can be used in virtually every meal. Those seeking to maximize their consumption of fruits and vegetables should get into the habit of using fruits in salads, as toppings and as garnishes.

In addition to their great taste, fruits and vegetables are packed full of many essential vitamins and minerals, including many micronutrients that are not included in packaged vitamin supplements. For instance, foods like butternut squash, pumpkins, carrots, mangoes, peaches, pawpaws and green leafy vegetables are rich in beta carotene. Beta carotene is vital for healthy skin and eyes.

In addition, most varieties of fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, another important vitamin and a strong antioxidant. Good sources of vitamin C include Brussels sprouts, citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, nectarines and kiwi fruit. Many fruits and vegetables, including spinach, broccoli and avocadoes, are also good sources of vitamin E, another excellent antioxidant.

Men and women alike should always strive to eat a healthy diet, but women have an extra incentive to get all the nutrition they need. Proper nutrition is essential to a healthy pregnancy, and some of the baby’s biggest nutritional needs happen before the pregnancy is discovered. Folic acid is perhaps the best known essential nutrient for pregnant women. Folic acid has been proven effective at preventing a variety of birth defects, including Spina Bifida. Good dietary sources of folic acid include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach and oranges. In addition, due to its importance to women of child bearing years, many common foods such as cereals and breads, are supplemented with folic acid.

In addition to their importance as source of vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables also provide essential dietary fiber. Adequate fiber in the diet is important in preventing heart disease and some kinds of cancer.

Another great feature of fruits and vegetables, especially to those watching their weight, is the high nutrition, low fat, low calorie nature of these foods. Fruits and vegetables contain very low levels of fats, and a diet low in fat can be quite effective for long term weight loss. In addition, fruits and vegetables contain no cholesterol, and they are lower in calories than many other types of foods.

With all these things going for them, it is no wonder so many dietary experts recommend eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Not only are fruits and vegetables delicious and nutritious, but they can be quite inexpensive as well. Buying fruits and vegetables that are locally grown, and that are in season, is usually the most cost effective way to get the freshest fruits and veggies at the lowest possible cost.

This buying strategy also helps to ensure a steady stream of new fruits and vegetables every month, as some go out of season while others are just coming in. Trying a variety of different fruits and vegetables, including some you may not be familiar with, is also a great way to create exciting new dishes and prevent yourself from becoming bored with the same old diet. Whether your goal is to lose weight or just increase your level of fitness, it is hard to go wrong with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

Georgina Cundall asked:




Eating fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to maintain good health. Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. They contain vitamins, phytochemicals, and minerals that can protect your body from diseases like diabetes, cancers, and heart diseases. Ideally, you should consume five kinds of vegetables and two kinds of fruits each day.

Doctors and health practitioners recommend increasing the fruit and vegetable servings at your table. But, it sometimes proves difficult on your household budget to purchase increased amounts of vegetables and fruits.

These tips can help you to fit a variety of vegetables and fruits within your existing household budget with some planning and foresight.

If you live near a farm, purchase your weekly supply of fruits and vegetables from the farmer. Alternatively, you can plan your shopping for the end of market day.

Normally, vendors prefer selling their wares at discounted prices at the end of the market day rather than taking the leftover produce back home.

Always buy the seasonal produce of fruits and vegetables. These are comparatively cheaper than out of season produce. Clementines or tiny tangerines are cheaper during Christmas while pears and apples are cheaper during the fall.

Some farms offer sale of produce through a program called Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Pay the annual fee up-front to become a member of this program.

You may then receive boxes of the growing produce regularly, such as every week.

Most grocery stores offer weekly sales. Try purchasing only the fruits and vegetables available on this sale list to benefit from the discounted prices or through special rebates available on this produce. You get to enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables without it being a burden on your budget.

Another way of saving on grocery budget is to make bulk purchases. Most wholesalers offer heavy discounts if you purchase fruits and vegetables in bulk. Go shopping with a neighbor or a friend and split your purchases. You get to enjoy various fruits and vegetables at much lower prices.

Frozen fruits and vegetables are sometimes cheaper than fresh vegetables and fruits. Many are under the wrong impression that frozen fruits and vegetables are low on nutrients. The nutrient value is claimed to remain much the same in frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables.

When choosing and buying frozen fruits, it is best to go for store brands. Most stores run sales most of the time when you may get your stock of vegetables and fruits at nominal costs.

Sometimes, it may be best to get frozen fruits and vegetables if they are not grown locally and have to be shipped from great distances.

If you purchase both frozen and fresh produce, make sure that you use your fresh produce earlier than the frozen ones. Frozen ones will stay good for a much longer period than the fresh fruits and vegetables.

Another way of saving on your grocery budget is to buy fruits and vegetables and chop it yourself instead of purchasing pre-chopped vegetables.

Purchase vegetables without any seasonings like salt, butter, or sauces. It is always best to add all seasonings just before you have your meal, or according to your taste.

It therefore is not any extra burden use these tips to include more vegetables and fruits in your diet.

Just plan carefully and make your purchases accordingly to get the best out of every dollar you spend on your fruits and vegetables.

To find out more fabulous information about how to incorporate a healthy lifestyle with more fruits and vegetables order your copy of Fabulous Fruit and Vegetables today.

Elizabeth T James asked:


If you are going to take up a new hobby, you might as well do something that is productive as well as fun. One such activity is vegetable gardening. Vegetable gardening is a very relaxing activity that millions of people love to do. There is also a certain pride when you know that you can grow your own fruits and vegetables right from your own backyard. In order to become a successful vegetable gardener, though, you must have a specific plan involving the kinds of plants you want in your garden, as well as the placement of these plants.

Basic Requirements for Vegetable Gardening

A flat, level surface is necessary for vegetable gardening to ensure that the water will flow evenly, giving sufficient nourishment to all the plants in your garden. If you have an uneven terrain, some of your plants may drown while others might be dehydrated. Good soil is essential as well so make sure that you buy quality gIf you are going to take up a new hobby, you might as well do something that is productive as well as fun. One such activity is vegetable gardening. Vegetable gardening is a very relaxing activity that millions of people love to do. There is also a certain pride when you know that you can grow your own fruits and vegetables right from your own backyard. In order to become a successful vegetable gardener, though, you must have a specific plan involving the kinds of plants you want in your garden, as well as the placement of these plants.

Basic Requirements for Vegetable Gardening

A flat, level surface is necessary for vegetable gardening to ensure that the water will flow evenly, giving sufficient nourishment to all the plants in your garden. If you have an uneven terrain, some of your plants may drown while others might be dehydrated. Good soil is essential as well so make sure that you buy quality garden soil that is packed with sufficient minerals for the healthy growth of your vegetables.

Choosing the type of vegetables you want to plant in your garden is the fun part. There are hundreds of vegetables you can choose from, but make sure the ones you pick are well adapted to the particular environment and climate in your area. Most vegetables are actually very easy to cultivate if you provide them all their growth requirements.

Planning is very important for the success of your vegetable gardening venture. You need to at least have a general idea of where you want to place your different vegetables in relation to each other. Using pots is a good idea so you can rearrange your garden if the need arises. Of course, your options will be limited if you have a small garden space but if you have a large area to work with, your gardening options are limitless.

One more important element that all vegetable gardeners find very important is the elimination and prevention of garden pests. There are many organic pesticides that you can use to solve this problem without inflicting any damage to your crops.

If you have a little more open space at home, you can go for regular home vegetable gardening as well. This is a more structured type of gardening in which you can lay out your garden more systematically than when you are using random containers.

If you live in a cramped apartment or high-rise condominium where there is no backyard to plant in, you have to use your creativity in order to create your own indoor garden. You can use any kind of containers to serve as an improvised garden plot and place this near a window in order to get as much sunlight as possible.

When it comes to productive hobbies, nothing can be better than vegetable gardening. Not only will vegetable gardening provide you with fresh vegetables to serve your family, but it also has therapeutic and relaxing effects on your body and mind. Regardless of what kind of vegetable gardening you choose, planting your own vegetables will definitely be much healthier and cheaper than purchasing them from the local grocery store.arden soil that is packed with sufficient minerals for the healthy growth of your vegetables.

Choosing the type of vegetables you want to plant in your garden is the fun part. There are hundreds of vegetables you can choose from, but make sure the ones you pick are well adapted to the particular environment and climate in your area. Most vegetables are actually very easy to cultivate if you provide them all their growth requirements.

Planning is very important for the success of your vegetable gardening venture. You need to at least have a general idea of where you want to place your different vegetables in relation to each other. Using pots is a good idea so you can rearrange your garden if the need arises. Of course, your options will be limited if you have a small garden space but if you have a large area to work with, your gardening options are limitless.

One more important element that all vegetable gardeners find very important is the elimination and prevention of garden pests. There are many organic pesticides that you can use to solve this problem without inflicting any damage to your crops.

If you live in a cramped apartment or high-rise condominium where there is no backyard to plant in, you have to use your creativity in order to create your own indoor garden. You can use any kind of containers to serve as an improvised garden plot and place this near a window in order to get as much sunlight as possible.

When it comes to productive hobbies, nothing can be better than vegetable gardening. Not only will vegetable gardening provide you with fresh vegetables to serve your family, but it also has therapeutic and relaxing effects on your body and mind.

Md. Wasim Aktar asked:


Preferably, RAC samples used in processing studies should contain field treated quantifiable residues as close as possible to the MRL, so that measurable residues are obtained, and transfer factors for the various processed commodities can be determined. A transfer factor gives the ratio of the residue concentration in the processed commodity to that in the RAC. For example if the residue concentration is 0.5 mg/kg in olives and 0.2 mg/kg in olive oil, the transfer factor is 0.2/0.5=0.4. A factor 1 (= concentration factor) indicates a concentration effect of the processing procedures. Enhancing the residues either by increasing the application rates, shortening the pre-harvest interval (PHI) or spiking the RAC with the active ingredient and its metabolites in vitro is not, as and rule, desirable. Spiking is only acceptable if the RAC residues can be shown to consist only of surface residues. However, in some cases, especially where residues in the RAC are close to the analytical limit of determination, field treatment at exaggerated rates or shortened PHIs is advisable to obtain sufficient residue levels for the processing studies.

The first step in household or commercial food processing is the preparation of food using various mechanical processes, such as removing damaged or soiled items or parts of crops, washing, peeling, trimming or hulling. This often leads to significant declines in the amount of pesticide residues in the remaining edible portions (Petersen et al., 1996; Celik et al., 1995; Schattenberg et al., 1996).

WASHING

Household washing procedures are normally carried out with running or standing water at moderate temperatures. Detergents, chlorine or ozone can be added to the wash water to improve the effectiveness of the washing procedure (Ong et al., 1996). If necessary, several washing steps can be conducted consequently.

The effects depend on the physiochemical properties of the pesticides, such as water solubility, hydrolytic rate constant, volatility and octanol-water partition coefficient (Pow), in conjunction with the actual physical location of the residues; washing processes lead to reduction of hydrophilic residues which are located on the surface of the crops. In addition, the temperature of the washing water and the type of washing has an influence on the residue level. As pointed out by Holland et al. (1994), hot washing and the addition of detergents are more effective than cold water washing. Washing coupled with gentle rubbing by hand under tap water for 1 min dislodges pesticide residues significantly (Barooah and Yein, 1996). Systemic and lipophilic pesticide residues are not removed significantly by washing.

Table (1) shows examples of the effects of washing on the residue levels of different pesticides applied to fruits and vegetables.

PEELING

The outer leaves of vegetables often contain residues of pesticides applied during the growing season. Therefore, peeling or trimming procedures reduce the residues levels in leafy vegetables. Peeling of root, tuber and bulb vegetables with a knife is common household practice. Many examples show that most of the residues concentration is located in or on the peel. Peeling of the RACs may remove more than 50% of the pesticide residues present in the commodity. Thus, removal of the peel achieves almost complete removal of residues, so leaving little in the edible portions. This is especially important for fruits which are not eaten with their peels, such as bananas or citrus fruits. Reynolds (1996) showed that peeling or trimming of carrot reduced the residues of chlorfenvinphos, primiphos-methyl, quinalphos, triazophos resulting a transfer factor of 0.2. However, the peel from commercial peeling processes can be used as animal feed or for the production of essential oils (citrus) or pectin (citrus, apple etc.). For such industrial processes, it is important to realize that especially non-systemic surface residues are often concentrated in the peel. For systemic pesticides, peeling may not be as effective as shown by Sheikhorgan et al (1994). After application of thiometon on cucumbers, no reduction of residue levels could be detected in the peeled cucumbers.

Under the Codex Alimentarius, as in other international standards, MRLs refer to the whole fruits, which is appropriate for assessing compliance with GAP. These MRLs are of limited significance, however, in assessing dietary exposure to pesticides from fresh fruits, which are peeled (Holland et al.,1994).

COOKING

Cooking procedures at different temperatures, the duration of the process, the amount of water or food additives, and the type of system (open or closed) may have an impact on the residue level. Normally, residues are reduced during the cooking process by volatilization in open systems or by hydrolysis in closed systems. In any case, adding cooking liquid dilutes the residues. Several studies were reported on the dissipation of pesticides in crops during cooking. In addition to the studies summarized in table 1 the behavior of the organophosphorus pesticides chlorfenvinphos, fenitrpothion, isoxathion, methidathion and prothiophos during cooking was examined by Nagayama (1996) with green tea leaves, spinach and fruits. These pesticides decreased during the cooking process corresponding to the boiling time. According to their water solubility, some pesticides were translocated from the raw materials into the cooking water. On the other hand, the pesticide remained in the processed food according to their octanol-water partition coefficient, which is an indicator of hydrophilic or lipophilic properties of the compound. In exceptional cases, cooking processes may cause pesticide degradation, yielding a reaction product of toxicological significance. For e.g., daminozide is degraded to UDMH (1, 1-dimethylhydrazine), which is much more potent than the parent compound (Leparulo-Lofus et al.,1992). Another example is the formation of ETU (Ethylenethiourea) from EBDCs (Ethylene bisdithiocarbamate) fungicides like mancozeb, during heating processes (Petersen et al., 1996).

Dipping in chemical solution

Sodium chloride solution is largely used to decontaminate the pesticide residues from different fruits and vegetables .there are several studies to prove the efficacy of salt water washing to dislodge the pesticides from crops. In this process, sample of chopped fruits and vegetables is put in a beaker containing 5% sodium chloride solution. After 15 minutes the plant samples are gently rubbed by hand in salt solution and alt water is decanted. The examples of the effect of salt solution treatment on the residue levels of different pesticides applied to vegetables have been shown in table 1.

Kumar et al (2000) reported that dipping of green chillies in 2% salt solution for 10 minute followed by water wash prove to be effective, facilitating the removal of 32.56 and 84.21% residues correspondingly at 0 and 5 days after spray of triazophos (700g a.i./ha) while the acephate residues were removed to an extent of 78.95% at zero day. Following same technique Kumar et al (2000) observed the 90.56 and66.93% reduction correspondingly on 0 and 5 days after spraying of cypermethrin in chillies.

Dip treatment of fruits in NaCl solution, HCl, acetic acid, NaOH solution, potassium permanganate removed 50-60% of surface residues of synthetic pyrethroids compared to 40-50% removal by hydrolytic degradation with NaOH (Awasthi, 1986b).

Water solution of NaOH, acetic acid potassium dichromate and soap solution used as decontaminating agents for tom ………….

The treatment of fruits with 2% tamarind solution dip for 5 minute followed by tap water wash and steam cooking for 10 min. was found to remove the residues of monocrotophos, carbaryl and fenvalerate to an extent of 41.81, 100 and 100% respectively. Treatment with 2% salt solution was equally effective.

Dip treatments of the brinjal fruit wioth water, sodium chloride, HCl solution, acetic acid solution or potassium permanganate solution were all found to remove 30-33% of the residues of fenvalerate, permethrin, cypermethrin and deltamethrin; NaOH solution 40-45% and Teepol (a detergent) solution 50-60%. The effect of washing in reducing the residues decreased progressively at the second and third harvests.

Many experiments were carried out with the three common household preparations viz. washing with water, salt water washing and cooking to ***** their relative efficiencies in reducing the pesticide residues in different vegetables. The results have been summarized in the following table.

Table: Effect of washing, salt water washing and cooking on pesticide residue levels.

Crop Pesticide % of Residue dislodged * Result Reference

Washing with

water Salt water washing Cooking

Cauliflower Methamidophos 41-48 46-47 46.94

-53.54 Largest reduction was brought about by cooking. Jacob and Verma (1990)

Okra

Methamidophos

64-72

19-58

58-64 Washing with water could remove maximum residues indicating its maximum solubility in water though all the processes lower down the TMRL values. Jacob and Verma (1990)

Cauliflower Alpha-cypermethrin

7-38 _

12-17 Washing was found to be more efficient than cooking probably due to the thermal stability of cypermethrin. Malik et al (1997)

Cabbage

Chlorpyriphos

Quinalphos

38

41

52.13

56.50

54.3

55 With the three processes residues were reduced to some extent. They can not reduce the residue below the MRL. Thus a waiting period of a minimum of one and two weeks, respectively, was suggested irrespective of washing cooking for quinalphos and chlorpyriphos on cabbage. Nagesh and Verma (1997)

Cow pea

Metasystox

Carbalyl

84.3

87.5

86.4

88.7

83.4

80.8 Only boiling of the pod samples could decontaminate the residues present of surface or inside the tissue to the extent of safe limits by 10th day of treatment. Dikshit et al (1984)

Cauliflower

Malathion

60

70

80 Cooking was found to be most effective and lowered the TMRL value from one week to zero days. Jacob and Verma (1989)

Bhindi

Quinalphos

61.84-64.35

43-53

78-82

Both washing with water and salt water washing brought down the residues below the MRL at zero days, cooking also did this resulting maximum reduction of residues.

Jacob and

Verma (1985)

Cabbage

Malathion

Carbaryl

Pyrethroids

64.60

75.40

22.06 (av.)

-

-

-



83.97

89.62

56.72 (av.)

The extent of decontamination was higher due to cooking compared to washing for all insecticides.

Bhatia and

Verma (1994)

Leaves and curds of cauliflower heads of cabbage and pods of Indian colza

Green beans

Methamidophos

DDT

Malathion

Carbaryl



65.71-77.67

71

96

52



-

-

-

-

80-88.88

52(cooked)

66 (pressure cooked)

99(cooked)

99(p.cooked)

77cooked

69(p.cooked)



Cooking dislodges maximum residues.

Water wash removed maximum DDT residues whereas cooking is effective to remove malathion and carbaryl residues.

Dikshit et al (1986)

Elkins et al (1968)

From the above table it can be said that cooking is most effective to reduce the residues of different pesticides from various vegetables though in some cases washing with water was found to be effective to reduce the initial residues of pesticides and it has been found that with the ageing of residues or with the increase in the sampling days over treatments the effect of washing decreases to remove the toxicant to the same extent as that of samples collected immediately after spray where boiling or cooking is found to be effective. One of the possible reason for high percentage of removal of toxicant from immediately collected samples as most of the residues are present of the surface of the samples and hence it is very easy to remove by simple washing as observed by Dikshit et al (1984,86) Elkins et al (1968), Bhatia and Verma (1994) and Malik et al (1998). With the time elapsed the residues are migrated inside the deeper tissues or strongly adhere on the rough surface of some vegetables. Moreover, the washing cannot reduce the residues to the safe level as compared to boiling.

There are some studies where all the three culinary processes proved to be inefficient to reduce the residues below the MRL value. According to Jacob and Verma (1991) residues of quinalphos in the treated cauliflower crop would be reduced only to some extent by various home processing methods like washing and cooking. Nagesh and Verma (1997) opined that the inefficiency of the home processes for decontaminating the treated cabbage might be due to the strong adsorption properties of quinalphos and chlorpyriphos.

Effect of household preparation for decontamination of pesticide multiresidues in fruits and vegetables

Low levels of pesticide residues were detected in 97(40%) of mt 243 samples analyzed after following normal household washing, peeling and cooking procedures. The number of samples containing detectable residues dropped to 47(19%) after household preparation. These results indicate that residue level in most commodities are substantially reduced after household preparation (Schattenberg et al., 1996)

Ramesh and Balasubramanian (1999) performed a study with fruits and vegetables collected from Chennai local markets and fortified with known concentrations of various pesticides followed by decontamination study with different household preparations like washing, cooking , peeling resulting 65-95% decontamination of pesticide residues at different stages of 512 raw market samples analyzed, the organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides present in the 12 samples were removed resulting in residues well below the toxicologically acceptable limits.

A short rinse in tap water reduces pesticide residues on many types of produce (Krol et al., 2000). Rinsing removed residues for nine of the twelve pesticides studied. Among captan, chlorothalonil, iprodione, vinclozolin, endosulfan, permethrin, methoxichlor, malathion, diazinon, chlorpyriphos, bifenthrin and DDE; residues of vinclozolin, bifenthrin and chlorpyriphos were not removed. This study confirms that the water solubility of pesticides does not play a significant role in the observed decrease. The majority of pesticide residues appear to reside on the surface of produce where it is removed by the mechanical action of rinsing.

Earlier studies of the effects of commercial and home preparation on pesticide residue in fruits and vegetables were summarized by Zabik (1987). The early studies showed residue reduction to be substantial, with percentage reduction of chlorinated hydrocarbons ranking from 50 to 99+ % for commercial preparation and from 14 to 99+ % for home preparation with the exception of parathion in spinach and broccoli, commercvial and home prewparation substantially reduced organophosphate residues, with the reduction generally being in the high 80 or 90% range. Carbamate residues were reduced by 58 to 99+ % when the vegetables were commercially processed but only by 11 to 92% in home preparation.

A recent study in Korea supports these earlier studies (Lee and Lee, 1997). These authors found that 45% of the organophosphate residues were eliminated when the foods were washed in water, 56% with detergent washing, 91% with peeling, and 51% with blanching or boiling.

Methods of multiresidue analysis of pesticides in fruits and vegetables

Analysis by gas chromatography

Nakamura et al (1994) developed a method for multiresidue analysis of 48 pesticides (20 organophosphorus, 7 organochlorine, 14 organonitrogen and 7 pyrethroid pesticides ) permitted in Japan on the basis of capillary GC after extracting the pesticides with nacetone from vegetable and fruit samples or with acetonitrile from lipid containing crops followed by reextraction into ethyl acetate (test solution). Organophosphorus pesticides were directly determined by GC-FPD. Organonitrogen pesticides were determined by GC-FTD (GC-NPD) following clean up by silica gel chromatography. Organochlorine and pyrethroid pesticides were measured by GC-ECD after clean up by florisil column chromatography. Recoveries for ten crops at fortification levels of 0.05-0.25 ppm were 42.5-128.5%. the detection limits were 0.001 ppm for organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides and 0.01 ppm for organonitrogen and pyrethroid pesticides.

A multiresidue method was used by Dejonckheere et al (1996) for determination of organochlorine, organophosphorus and organonitrogen pesticides in vegetables and fruits which were extracted with acetone followed by liquid-liquid partitioning with water:apolar pesticides in petroleum ether phase, polar pesticides extracted from aqueous layer with dichloromethane and analyzed by gas chromatography with electron capture (GC-ECD), flame photometric (GC-FPD) and thermoionic specific (GC-TSD) detection.

The method used for multiresidue determination of 52 pesticides including organophosphorus, organochlorine, organonitrogen, certain pyrethroids and dithiocarbamate pesticides in vegetables and fruits was described by Dogheim et al (1999) utilizing gas chromatography. Samples were extracted with acetone followed by partitioning with hexane and dichloromethane and estimated by GC-ECD and GC-NPD. Dithiocarbamates were digested in mixture of concentrated HCl, SnCl2 and water for evolution of CS2 which is collected in an ethanolic solution of copper acetate and diethanolamine to form a yellow complex. The absorbance of yellow product was determined spectrophotometrically at 435 nm. The average recoveries and CVs of the 52 pesticides were 72-118 and 1-20%, respectively at the spiking levels of 0.01-1 ppm. A similar kind of method was also described by Kole et al (1998).

Krol et al (2000) used a multiresidue procedure for determination of 12 pesticides in vegetables where samples were extracted with 2 propanol and petroleum ether followed by washing with distilled water 3 times. Final analysis of the samples was performed by GC-ECD, FPD, XSD and/or ELCD.

Ramesah and Balasubramanian (1999) described a method to determine organochlorine, organonitrogen and organophosphorus pesticides in vegetables and fruits following extraction with 2-propanol and petroleum ether by mechanical shaker followed by partitioning with distilled water and column cleanup over florisil for OC and OP pesticides. For organonitrogen pesticides the extraction was done with acetone followed by partitioning with 10%NaCl and ethyl acetate and column clean up over silica gel. organochlorine, organophosphorus and organonitrogen compounds were analyzed by GC-ECD,GC-FPD and GC-NPD, respectively.

Using GC-ECD, the efficiencies of acetonitrile and acetone to extract the 8 pyrethroids from 6 fruits and vegetable samples were compared by Pang et al (1997). The extraction efficiency of acetone was competitive with that of acetonitrile for the 6 fruit and vegetable samples. The ruggedness tests demonstrated further that the proposed method is simple, accurate with good precision and suitable for multiresidue analysis of pyrethroid in various agricultural products.

Organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticide residues from fruit and vegetables by capillary GC with electron capture detector (ECD), nitrogen phosphorus detector (NPD), flame photometric detector (FPD) in the sulfur and phosphorus modes, and mass spectrometry detector (MSD) in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode were determined by Torres et al (1995) following extraction by Matrix Solid Phase Dispersion (MSPD) resulting recoveries of 41-108% with relative SD of 2-14% in the conc. range 0.5-10 µg/liter in oranges, lemons, grapefruit, pears, plums, lettuces and tomatoes.

A multiresidue method as described by Sannino et al (1995) for quantitative determination of 39 organophosphorus compounds (parent pesticides and their major metabolites) in 7 fatty processed foods based on automated gel permeation chromatography with a Biobeads SX3 column and a methylene chloride-cyclohexane (15 + 85) eluant after extraction with methylene chloride. Organophosphorus compounds are quantitated by GC-FPD using OV-1701 and DB-5 columns. Average recoveries from samples fortified at 0.025-1 mg/kg ranged from 50.6% for dichlorvos to 185% for malaoxon. Determination limits were between 0.005 and 0.040 mug/mL. Results were confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring.

Gas chromatographic conditions for separation and identification of the compounds were selected using two capillary columns of different polarities and two detectors, ECD and NPD for multiresidue quantitative determination of 37 pesticides in fruit and vegetables and to study the efficiency of gel-permeation chromatography clean-up after ethyl acetate extraction (Balinova,1999).

Trova et al (1999) performed liquid chromatographic determination of pesticide residues (including azinphos-ethyl, azinphos-methyl, carbaryl, diflubenzuron, dinocap and teflubenzuron) in vegetables after extraction using an ethyl acetate/n-hexane solvent system instead of the widely employed methylene chloride. Recoveries as required by ‘Guidelines for residues monitoring in the European Union’ were observed; the new solvent system may be considered as an alternative to halogenated compounds, dangerous for their toxicity and harmful for their environmental behaviors, in extraction of HPLC-determinable active compounds.

A wide range screening method was proposed by Gelsomino et al (1997) for multiresidue analysis of 77 pesticides (12 organohalogens, 45 organonitrogens, 11 organophosphorus and 9 pyrethroids) in agricultural products using gas chromatography equipped with long, narrow-bore fused-silica open-tubular columns and electron-capture detector (ECD). Residues were extracted with acetone followed by dichloromethane partitioning and gel permeation chromatographic clean up. Recoveries of the majority of pesticides from spiked samples of carrot, melon and tomato at fortification levels of 0.04-0.10 mg/kg were 70-108%. Limits of detection were less than 0.01 mg/kg for ECD.

Beena et al (2002, 2003) carried out monitoring of vegetable samples adopting a multiresidue analytical technique employing GC-ECD and GC-NPD systems with capillary columns.

Ueno et al (2003) studied an efficient and reliable multiresidue method for determining 52 nitrogen- and/or phosphorus- containing pesticide residues in a large number of vegetable samples in which samples were extracted with acetonitrile, and the separated acetonitrile layer was purified by gel permeation chromatography that divided the pesticide eluate into 2 fractoions, the pesticide fractions were respectively purified by a 2-step minicolumn cleanup, the second fraction through silica gel minicolumn; first fraction through the tandem minicolumn (florisil minicolumn, inserted on silica gel minicolumn) which was eluted with acetone-petroleum ether (3+7). The combined eluate was subjected to dual column gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus and flame photometric detection. Recoveries of 52 pesticides from fortified samples ranged from 72 to 108% with relative standard deviations of 2-17%, except for the recoveries of methamidophos and chorothalonil. The detection limits of the pesticides were satisfactory (0.001-0.009 mg/kg) for monitoring of pesticide residues in vegetables.

Menkissoglu et al (2004) performed a study of the matrix induced effect for 16 common pesticides, most frequently found in monitoring studies in tomato pepper and cucumber, using a simple multiresidue method with GC-ECD or NPD, without a previous cleanup step. Anomalously high GC responses and subsequently very high recoveries for several pesticides in the extracts were obtained by a conventional calibration with pesticide solution in ethyl acetate.

A faster, less effective, environmentally safer supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) method was evaluated by Garcia et al (1996) over conventional sonvent extraction methods for the extraction of imidacloprid, methiocarb, chlorpyrifos, chlorothalonil, endosulfan-1, endosulfan-2 and endosulfan sulfate, from pepper and tomato using vegetable sample: anhydrous magnesium sulfate (5:7) mixtures to carryout the extraction with supercritical CO2 and HPLC/DAD,GC/ECD and GC/FPD for analysis. The chosen SFE conditions were 300 atm, 500C, 200?l of methanol static modifier, 1 minute static time, and dynamic extraction with 15 ml of CO2 and collection in 3 ml of ethyl acetate. Except for imidacloprid, which was not recovered under any of the assessed conditions, pesticide recoveries were greater than 80%.

A simplified method is described by Chaput (1987) where reverse phase liquid chromatography was utilized with post column derivatisation and fluorescence detector to determine 7 N-methyl carbamates (aldicarb, carbaryl, carbofuran, methiocarb, methomyl, oxamyl and propoxur) and 3 related metabolites in fruits and vegetables after extraction of the sample with methanol followed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) or GPC with on-line Nuclear-celite clean up for crops with high chlorophyll and/or carotene content (e.g. cabbage and broccoli). Recovery data were obtained by fortifying 5 different crops (apples, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and potatoes) at 0.05 and 0.5 ppm. Recoveries averaged 93% at both fortification levels. The coefficient of variation of the method at both levels is

Georgina Cundall asked:




Eating fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to maintain good health. Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. They contain vitamins, phytochemicals, and minerals that can protect your body from diseases like diabetes, cancers, and heart diseases. Ideally, you should consume five kinds of vegetables and two kinds of fruits each day.

Some people claim that some of the benefits of certain foods may be indicated by their color. I have not researched this for proof, so I just include this information as a theory and no more than that.

(a) Red colored Fruits and Vegetables

Red colored fruits and vegetables are claimed to be good for your heart.

Some of these fruits and vegetables contain lycopene and anthocyanins which some people claim may have anti-aging and cancer protecting properties.

Red-colored fruits and vegetables are also promoted by some people as having properties that may improve your memory and help to some extent with the incidence and effects of urinary tract infections.

Red-colored fruits include cranberries, cherries, red grapes, raspberries, red pears, watermelon, pomegranates, strawberries, pink or red grapefruit, and beets.

Red-colored vegetables include red peppers, tomatoes, red radishes, radicchio, red leaf salad, fresh rhubarb, red-skinned potatoes and red onions.



(b) Green colored Fruits and Vegetables

Green colored vegetables and fruits may aid in easy digestion and allow for better absorption of vitamins and nutrients.

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These fruits and vegetables are rich in lutein and indoles, which some people say make them great antioxidants. They contain vitamins that may help to build your bones and maintain the quality of your eyesight.

Green colored fruits include green grapes, green apples, honeydew melons, kiwifruit, green limes, green pears, and artichokes.

Green colored vegetables include broccoli, Chinese cabbage, green beans, celery, brussel sprouts, green cabbage and asparagus.



(c) Yellow colored Fruits and Vegetables

Yellow or orange-colored fruits and vegetables are claimed by some to be rich in vitamin C which may improve your body’s immune system, lower the risk of some cancers, safeguard your vision and help with some of the effects of natural aging problems. Some of these fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, bioflavonoids, phytochemicals and carotenoids.

Yellow colored fruits include yellow apples, cantaloupe, yellow figs, tangerines, grapefruit, cape gooseberries, lemons, oranges, mangos, nectarines, papayas, yellow watermelon, pineapples, pears, apricots, golden kiwifruit and peaches.

Yellow colored vegetables include carrots, yellow peppers, yellow beets, pumpkin, yellow-skinned potatoes, butternut squash and persimmons.



(d) Purple or Blue-colored Fruits and Vegetables

Purple-colored vegetables are claimed by some to be very rich in antioxidants and contain large amounts of phytochemicals like

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phenolics and anthocyanins. These vitamins claimed by some to be help reduce cancer risks, improve your memory and keep your skin looking young and healthy for longer.

Purple-colored fruits include elderberries, purple figs, purple grapes, dried plums, raisins, and Quetch plums.

Purple-colored vegetables include purple asparagus, purple cabbage, eggplant, and purple carrots.



(e) White colored Fruits and Vegetables

White colored fruits and vegetables claimed by some to reduce cholesterol levels and prove beneficial for your heart.

White colored fruits include white peaches, bananas and white nectarines.

White colored vegetables include ginger, garlic, mushrooms, cauliflower, Jerusalem artichokes, and onions.

To find out more fabulous information about how to incorporate a healthy lifestyle with more fruits and vegetables order your copy of Fabulous Fruit and Vegetables today.

Samuel Quino asked:


Growing vegetables in your garden can save you money. During harvest time, your own produce becomes part of your meals. Home gardeners feel deep satisfaction in preparing salad or seasoning the casserole with freshly picked plants from their own vegetable gardens. Their feeling of the taste is incomparable. Fresh surplus are distributed to friends and love ones while some are keep frozen.

It doesn’t require much space to grow vegetables. Even a container pot or a window box will do the trick. Where space is limited, you can grow a mini-garden indoor or outdoor. If you have a good sun, access to water and enough containers, growing a garden’s worth of fruits and vegetables in a limited space is a no-brainer. You can even harvest more than one crop if your choice of plants and planting schemes are all well planned and executed. Windowsills, balconies and doorstep areas can be used, as well as empty packs of milks, pails, plastic buckets and cans.

When planting in containers, proper spacing is very important. One sturdy plant is better than several weak ones. Crowding chokes root systems will slow growth and poor production. With container vegetable garden, you no longer need to worry about poor soil types and bad drainage, or heavy-duty tiller to break up hard clay and rocks. There is no weeding to worry about and you can change the looks of your container placements by simply moving them around anytime to a place you wanted to.

Vegetable gardening offers a change from the monotony of the supermarket. You can grow variety of vegetables that you want. When choosing plants for your vegetable container garden, consider container worthy crops such as beans, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and radish. Other root crops such onions and turnips can also do well in containers, but remember to always take care of these crops by ample fertilizers and water. Also consider grapes and berries. Though some take a while to get established, they bear fruits more each year. Planting for fall crops can be started in early summer, though summer planting can still be done in June in most regions.

One great advantage of growing vegetables and spices in containers involves the advent of the upside-down gardening. Crops with the likes of tomatoes, basil, parsley, rosemary and peppers do well with this approach. The ideas is that the vines will cascade downward instead of growing up a stake. A grow box can be treated by punching perforations through the bottom of a container. The other option is to purchase a device specially designed for this purpose. Upside gardens do not require a great deal of space and is perfect for balconies and patios.

Equally important, seeds and soil must properly be taken cared of in your vegetable container garden. Seeds do not always have to be bought. Reasonably fresh dill, anise, fennel, coriander and other seeds already on the spice rack should grow. If not, they are too old to add much to food anyway and should be replaced. Scoop out seeds from vegetables you’ve bought, dry them a week or so before planting.

Soil preparation on the other hand is very crucial for good results. Have the soil tested. Every state has a land-grant college that will test soil for a small fee. It will give abundant basic gardening advice, and garden resources tips. Start growing those veggies in your garden and turn your home made meals into something truly special. Take care of your plants to make them productive by keeping them watered and harvested.

Georgina Cundall asked:

Eating fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to maintain good health. Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. They contain vitamins, phytochemicals, and minerals that can protect your body from diseases like diabetes, cancers, and heart diseases. Ideally, you should consume five kinds of vegetables and two kinds of fruits each day.

The word vegetable was first recorded in print in English in the 14th century. The word comes from Latin ‘vegetabilis’ and from vegetare, or enliven. This means to the part of a plant that is growing.

However, the meaning of plant grown for food was not established until the 18th century. The scientific and traditional definition of vegetable is more subjective than arbitrary. Normally, the edible part of a plant is called a vegetable. Some people consider a plant part which is normally eaten as unsweetened or with salted food a vegetable.

Customs in various places also define a vegetable in particular ways. Individual food selection and choices also contribute towards a specific plant product being called a vegetable or not.

Mushrooms are categorized as a vegetable, although they are biologically fungi.

Grains, nuts, herbs, seeds, spices, and culinary fruits are not considered vegetables although all of them are edible parts of plants.

In the culinary sense, vegetables are ideally best suited for salted and unsweetened dishes, with a few exceptions like pumpkin pie. Again, definition of vegetable does not imply that the product needs to be cooked.

Carrots, celery, and bell peppers are common examples of vegetables that can be eaten raw. Many people eat raw potato; usually with salt and after washing it. Some people swear by a potato as a quick answer to heartburn.

There are various fruits which are usually used as vegetables. Examples include eggplant, tomato, and bell pepper. These are, botanically, fruits but they are normally consumed as part of a savory or salty dish, not as a dessert or eaten with sugar. Therefore, they called vegetables.

The preparation could cause the change of a fruit into a vegetable.

Vegetables Formed from Parts of a Plant

Buds: Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, globe artichokes.

Leaves: kale, collard greens, beet greens, spinach, turnip greens and endive.

Seeds: Corn.

Leaf stems: Celery, rhubarb; sometimes rhubarb is also termed as a fruit as sweet dishes are made from it.

Leaf sheaths: Leeks.

Stem of immature plant: Asparagus.

Whole immature plants: Bean sprouts.

Underground stem of a plant or tuber: Potatoes, sweet potato Jerusalem artichokes, yam.

Bulbs: Onions, garlic, shallots.

Roots: Carrots, parsnips, beets, radishes, turnips.

Botanical Fruits: Tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, pumpkins, capsicums eggplant, tomatillos, christophene, okra.

Whole unripe seedpods (of legumes): Green beans, snap peas.

Legumes: Peas, beans.

The use of the term vegetable is more arbitrary than scientific. You cannot always specify anything as a vegetable only or not a vegetable at all.

A great e-book is focused on showing you the benefits which are claimed for adding more vegetables and fruit to your diet and broadening the choices which you know about. It will also give you a variety of tasty and nutritious recipes toward the end of the book.

To find out more fabulous information about how to incorporate a healthy lifestyle with more fruits and vegetables order your copy of Fabulous Fruit and Vegetables today.

Georgina Cundall asked:

Eating fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to maintain good health. Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. They contain vitamins, phytochemicals, and minerals that can protect your body from diseases like diabetes, cancers, and heart diseases. Ideally, you should consume five kinds of vegetables and two kinds of fruits each day.

Fruits and vegetables are essential components of your daily diet. Some contain natural antioxidants that can help to keep you healthy and fit, providing nutrients which are valuable resources of energy and sustaining the quality of your life.

The common vitamins present in fruits and vegetables include vitamin A, vitamin C, folate and potassium. Almost all fruits and vegetables are low in fat and calories. Many are excellent sources of natural fiber.

Some health professionals recommend from five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables. The serving depends on your daily caloric intake. If you need around 2000 calories each day, you might need up to nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

You should get best results if you consume a variety of fruits and vegetables. Eating a single type or color of fruit and vegetable may not offer the required nutrition. Each type and color of fruit or vegetable that is generally available has some benefit.

To get the best nutrients from your fruits and vegetables, eat those which are in season in your region. Fresh produce has the best levels of the nutrients we may need during the season.

If you eat out-of-season fruits and vegetables, their nutrient value might be less, they will probably cost more and their production and transportation may have a greater financial and environmental cost.

Your diet has a critical role in defining your health and energy levels which affects every other part of your life. The fruits and vegetables you consume regularly are a powerful storehouse of beneficial, even vital, vitamins and nutrients which help out body to protect itself against many diseases and other negative factors in our environment.

Different fruits and vegetables offer varied benefits for your health.

Vegetables that are said to be high in antioxidants and nutrients include broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, onions, cauliflower, red peppers, squash, tomatoes, and garlic.

Fruits that some say are high in antioxidants and nutrients include apples, blueberries, apricots, bananas, cherries, cantaloupe, oranges, kiwifruits, peaches, and pink grapefruits.

Nutrients of Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables contain many different varieties of nutrients. Some fruits and vegetables are a virtual storehouse of beneficial minerals like anthocyanins, resveratrol, lycopene, and more phytochemicals are being found as research into the fruits and vegetables is conducted.

Phytochemicals

These plant nutrients help sustain your body against the worst ravages of the aging process and may help to reduce health risks like heart ailments, high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Some of the phytochemicals include:

Anthocyanins, available in blackberries, blueberries, cherries, eggplant, plums, and kiwi fruit are claimed by some to have important properties that may help reduce the occurrence of severity of some urinary tract infections.

Lycopene, available in watermelon, tomatoes, and pink grapefruit.

Resveratrol is available in red grapes and peanuts. CAUTION: more people are finding they may have an allergic reaction to peanuts every year

Suggested Servings of Fruit and Vegetables

People are often confused about the quantity indicated by a single serving or a cup.

Ideally, one cup refers to:

Vegetables

2 cups raw leafy vegetables

1 cup raw or cooked vegetables

1 cup baby carrots or approximately twelve carrots

1 cup cooked or canned dried beans or peas

1 medium potato

1 cup vegetable juice

Fruits

1 cup cut-up or cooked fruit

1 medium piece of fruit

1 large banana

1/2 cup dried fruit

1/4 small cantaloupe

1 cup berries or grapes

1 cup 100% fruit juice

A great e-book is focused on showing you the benefits which are claimed for adding more vegetables and fruit to your diet and broadening the choices which you know about. It will also give you a variety of tasty and nutritious recipes toward the end of the book.

To find out more fabulous information about how to incorporate a healthy lifestyle with more fruits and vegetables order your copy of Fabulous Fruit and Vegetables today.