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While consuming pesticide- free vegetables may be ideal, people should examine other aspects of their lifestyles, such as smoking, drinking and exercise habits

Consumers were frightened when news broke recently that hydroponically grown vegetables were found to contain chemical residues above the maximum limit. Fuelled by an alarming survey released two years ago revealing some prepackaged organic veggies as also contaminated, it looks like the health conscious are left with no choice but to grow food in their own backyard.

Easier said than done, that is probably the best and most ideal solution to food hazards, said anti-ageing specialist Dr Thidakarn Rujipattanakul.

“Find a piece of land that is safe and isn’t harmed by insecticides and then grow your own vegetables. That’s ideal but admittedly it’s not easy,” said Dr Thidakarn, author and founder of PleaseHealth Solutions, a publishing house that produces books in various health segments.

Thai Pesticide Alert Network (Thai-Pan) recently conducted a test on 30 randomly collected samples of hydroponic vegetables available at fresh markets and supermarkets in Bangkok and other provinces. The finding revealed 19 out of 30 samples contained pesticides at levels above the maximum residue limit. Three samples were found to contain chemical residue but not exceeding the limit while eight others were chemical-free. The test result was released last month.

Such findings, Dr Thidakarn added, are helpful and do encourage consumers to be more vigilant when it comes to their food choices. But they must by no means be used as a generalisation that all hydroponic vegetables are detrimental to health.

First of all, consumers should shake off the misconception that hydroponic is synonymous with being chemical-free.

“Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, instead using nutrient-rich solutions in a water solvent. This is basically the definition of hydroponics. It’s nothing to do with being free or not free from pesticides whatsoever,” explained Dr Thidakarn.

Although organic farming, on the contrary, restricts the use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers altogether, products labelled as organic somehow do not guarantee that they are 100% safe. For example, organic products that contained a “Q Mark” — a label guarantee of safety — were constantly tested by Thai-Pan and found to be contaminated with chemical residues.

“So we cannot make a sweeping assumption on anything,” the specialist said. “We cannot say all hydroponics are 100% safe. Neither can we say all are contaminated. The same goes for organic products.”

Echoing the same viewpoint is dietitian Pakatima Charopadit who said despite the rising popularity of hydroponic vegetables especially among modern and urban consumers, many of them still have misunderstandings about the produce and therefore were completely anxious after hearing the latest test results.

“Both hydroponically-grown vegetables and naturally-grown vegetables use chemicals in the farming process,” noted Pakatima. “Although they are grown in water, they still need basic nutrients NPK [nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium]. These are chemical compounds dissolved in water. Vegetables that are grown in water then suck up these nutrients.”

Pakatima added that when it comes to choosing hydroponic vegetables, people here in sunny countries like Thailand can feel a little less worry in their chest compared to those in cold, cloudy continents. Sunlight triggers the vegetables to release chemicals while not enough sunlight means residues still sit in the leaves and trunks. Also reliable hydroponic farms would usually harvest their produce one to two days before selling and put their roots in clean water so that they suck it up and release chemical residues, reducing them by 40-50%.

The human body actually has a mechanism that automatically flushes these toxins through several organs such as kidney, liver and colon. However, according to Dr Thidakarn, people who are extra sensitive to chemical contamination are likely to develop some acute symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, headache and diarrhoea. But what’s more worrying is long-term chemical accumulation.

“In the end, these chemicals can be carcinogenic. Especially pesticides, their chemical structure is likely to cause cancer if consumed in the long run,” said Dr Thidakarn.

Chemical compounds from nitrogen, added Pakatima, can transform themselves into cancer-causing agents — nitrosamine — which can potentially lead to cancer of the stomach, the intestine and the oesophagus. Nitrosamine is categorised by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)’s cancer classification as possibly carcinogenic to humans. It is found mostly in processed meat such as sausage, ham and bacon.

Protocols by the government could be vital at this point to ensure farmers or distributors sell products to consumers with quality and safety standard as claimed, advised Dr Thidakarn.

“This is the issue of the system,” said the anti-ageing specialist. “When produce is defined and labelled, there needs to be an organisation to officially and regularly examine if the products’ quality is as labelled and if the standard is met.

“Consumers should voice their concern to parties involved to set proper standards and control quality such as which product can be branded as organic, which can be branded as hydroponics and also randomly test if they are as claimed.”

But set aside governmental measures for quality control, consumers themselves should be equipped with knowledge such as fruit and vegetable cleaning knowhow and so forth. While Dr Thidakarn and Pakatima said that while organic produce is best among vegetable options, the produce is usually expensive and accessible only to those who can afford it.

Here knowing and understanding the choices of vegetables available in the market can do the trick.

“Take morning glory, for example,” said Dr Thidakarn. “It’s easy to grow and most farmers therefore use zero pesticides in the farming process which means if you want to make a morning glory dish, you don’t need to go for the organic one. It then saves you money.

“Also take into account the shape and appearance of vegetables and fruits. Those with complex shapes such as broccoli or cabbage are more susceptible to having chemical residues than those with plain shape. So if you are to eat those with a complex shape or layers like broccoli or cabbage, choose organic ones.”

And vinegar is the best veggie wash, added Pakatima. “Put a tablespoon of vinegar into a plastic tub full of water and then let your vegetables set in it for around 30 minutes then rinse them again through running water. This way, although they are not 100% free from chemicals, it’s the safest way to go,” the nutritionist recommended.

Dr Thidakarn and Pakatima both warned consumers to not be overly anxious about the headline news on contaminated hydroponic veggies. But the best protection, added Pakatima, is when consumers are more careful when it comes to their food choices.

“Vegetables are nutrient-rich. But when news broke like that, many people avoided them for fear of chemical intake. Actually they can shield themselves in many simple ways. Opt for seasonal vegetables because if they are grown in season, farmers do not need to use much pesticide. Also soft-boiling vegetables before consumption can reduce chemicals by 15 to 20%,” said the dietitian.

After all, there are more ingredients for good health than just eating or not eating hydroponic produce.

“We’d better pay attention to the whole picture,” concluded Dr Thidakarn. “You worry about contaminated vegetable but you eat a lot of processed food like ham and bacon, have zero exercise and not enough sleep. That’s useless. Do not just put your focus on vegetables. All elements for good health must be properly practised. Good choices of veggies mean nothing if you still drink or smoke.”

Find a piece of land that is safe and isn’t harmed by insecticides and then grow your own vegetables