Abstract:
Food is likely to be one of the major pathways through which people are exposed to endocrinedisrupting
chemicals. With the exception of residual effects, there are concerns that a number of
naturally occurring and synthetic chemicals exert adverse effects upon endocrine systems in wildlife
and humans. The current study reports selected pesticide concentrations and the total estrogenic
activity of fruit and vegetables using the recombinant yeast oestrogen screen (YES) and T47D-KBluc
reporter gene assays. A total of 53 food samples (27 fruit and 26 vegetables) from Johannesburg
and Tshwane fresh produce markets (in South Africa) were analysed. Of these, 17 contained one to
three different pesticide residues with concentrations ranging between 0.01 and 0.68 mg kg–1,
whereas in the rest of the samples no residues were detected. All pesticides detected except in one
sample were below the maximum residue level (MRL), but others were unauthorised for use in
specified fruit and vegetables. Estrogenic activity was detected in 26.4% (14 samples) of the
samples tested, and the estradiol equivalents ranged from 0.007 to 2 pg g–1. Although the
estrogenic activity was low, it may contribute to adverse health effects. Continuous monitoring
for pesticides in fruit and vegetables is important in view of the unauthorised pesticides detected in
produce from South Africa and the endocrine-disrupting chemical activity found.
