The elevated risks associated with consuming a high fruit and vegetable diet in Guyana

Aug 08, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor,

Around December 2023, I went to shop at my regular fresh produce importer, only to discover upon entering the facility, that heavy insecticide was sprayed in the small enclosed air conditioned building, where consumers purchased retail and wholesale produce for personal use or to re-sell in the local markets.

I immediately raised my concern with an employee who brushed it aside, and denied insecticides were used, and I left out of concern for my safety and without purchasing any fresh produce from the supplier. Given food is porous (liken to a sponge) and would absorb whatever is in the environment it is transported/packaged/housed/stored in, I did not want to take the risk to buy any food from this supplier. However, one week later, I went back to the same seller and found that nothing had changed.  I then phoned them to report the issue, which they again continued to deny. I went a third time a few weeks later, and again, the insecticide was still heavy in the air, and I again left without purchasing any produce there. Over the last couple of years, I would typically frequent this particular supplier 2 or more times per week, and after this third visit with no change to the insecticide in the environment, I decided to no longer purchase from them.

I later visited another fresh produce importer, also in December 2023, and was with someone, who also noticed the heavy use of insecticide at that facility, again, we left without purchasing any fresh produce from this food importer. I then tried to purchase imported produce from the largest supermarket chain in the country, which included broccoli, cauliflower, grapes, carrots and strawberries. Upon unpacking and washing the items at home, I noticed along with other family members that the broccoli was imbued with insecticide (not pesticide, but bug spray), and the grapes and strawberries had a distinctive smell of disinfectant/cleaning agent and the grapes also smelt of insecticide.

I immediately reported it, and they communicated that they don’t import foreign produce but purchase from local suppliers and did not even try to address the smell of disinfectant/insecticides on the vegetables and fruits. After another report, having purchased fresh produce a few weeks later and having the same experience, they promised to address the concern, but several months later nothing transpired to fix the problem, even after I attempted to purchase these same items, time and time again, and from their different branches as well as other supermarkets in the city, I found the food was still contaminated with insecticides and of course had to discard them, every time.

The local sellers in Bourda Market, also said most of them purchase from the same two suppliers previously mentioned above. Additionally, market vendors have sprayed insecticides in the vehicles that they use to transport fresh produce, which I had the unpleasant experience to discover after purchasing fresh produce from them that was tainted with insecticides which I again discarded, and upon returning a week later, I was then told by the vendors (two of them) that this was done since they found cockroaches in the buses they used to transport the produce. One month later, and the produce was still contaminated, and thereafter, I stopped purchasing from these vendors.

After numerous complaints to the sellers, both suppliers and supermarkets, and with no resolution, I finally found an alternative supplier, but this supplier uses scented candles and/or air fresheners in their facility where fresh produce is stored and sold. I told them about these scents (which are essentially chemicals) being absorbed into the food and they too ignored the concern. Their strawberries have the distinctive smell and taste of the scented candles/air fresheners they use in their store, so I no longer purchase un-sealed food from them.

This experience has resulted in a significant loss of finance (over a seven month period), as well as fear in purchasing and consuming imported fresh produce (fruits and vegetables), which could be contaminated with toxic chemicals/insecticides due to actions of the importers and some retailers. Finding imported food that is safe to eat is a growing problem for me personally, as a result.

I noticed that since the emergence of Covid-19, an environment of fear has been created and has resulted in excessive and unnecessary use of numerous toxic chemicals in facilities that transport, store and sell fresh produce. The presence of pesticide residues on fresh produce (including local produce) is already a real concern, the additional use of insecticides, disinfectants/cleaning agents, and other scented products in areas that transport/package/store fresh produce, whether for later or immediate sale has elevated the health risk and risk for food poisoning in consuming a frequent or high volume of fruits and vegetables diet, especially for persons who are vegans or vegetarians.

On a side note, many regular retail and wholesale stores unrelated to food, have also, based on my numerous personal experience within the last year or so, have been applying on a frequent basis and in excessive amounts, insecticides in their facilities, including the larger malls and larger hardware stores, exposing people to high levels of toxic chemicals/poisons, as well as food facilities since these malls also have supermarkets and food stalls.

This indiscriminate use of these chemicals is a new phenomenon that seems to be spreading in the city, and posing a high risk to regular consumers/customers. The use and excessive use of toxic chemicals to spray grass in residential areas has also increased, and continuous and/or frequent exposure to all these chemicals in our food and environment seem to be going unnoticed, and is essentially slowly poisoning us. I am writing in eager anticipation that your paper can raise this issue (food safety and chemical exposure) either with relevant authorities or to better educate the importers/suppliers, distributors and sellers to correct this issue, since this became a serious concern for me since December 2023 and remains a serious concern, and I’m sure is unknowingly affecting others consuming these foods, and is especially worrying for people with sensitivities and children. My many attempts in trying to resolve this issue with the individual companies and persons have proved futile. It became apparent, that most people do no check their fresh produce, whether before or after washing, or whether eating raw or cooked, and are likely unknowingly consuming dangerous chemicals in these foods. The continuous exposure in consuming foods contaminated with these chemicals have been linked to numerous health issues, from food poisoning from chemicals (which can cause numerous organ failure or be fatal) to allergies.

I am hoping your paper can shed some light on this matter. Thank you.

Best Regards,

Hansranie Seebaran

• associated, facility, Guyana, Hansranie Seebaran, importer