A recent research has claimed that the highest levels of pesticide use in Bangladesh are found in fruits and vegetables.
Dr Ruhul Amin, a professor at the Institute of Food and Nutrition at Dhaka University, has revealed the findings on Monday at "Meet-the-Press" held at the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) office in Shahbagh here.
"It is difficult to determine the safety levels of domestically produced food, and emphasis is that all food should ideally be safe for consumption," he said adding that the local farmers often ignore safety guidelines when applying these chemicals which are raising serious concerns about food safety.
He explained that food safety is ensured through three levels: public food safety, third-party inspection, and national-level measures.
BFSA Chairman Zakaria, BFSA members Mahmudul Kabir Murad and Mohammad Wahiduzzaman were also present.
Replying to a question about the level of food safety in the country, Dr Amin said that it is difficult to determine the exact safety of any food product, especially in fruits and vegetables, where pesticide use is notably high.
In addressing pesticide concerns, Zakaria advised that vegetables should be soaked for 15 minutes to reduce pesticide residue.
He cautioned people to avoid highly unsafe or harmful foods, such as organ meats, and be mindful of portion sizes when consuming them.
"As a result, traces of pesticides are frequently detected in these food products, raising concerns about food safety," he said, stressed that in order to export food, it must meet safety standards. Without this, foreign buyers are unlikely to purchase Bangladeshi products.
In his presentation, Dr Amin discussed food safety in relation to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, which addresses food security and safe food consumption.
He pointed out the percentage of fruit consumption among rural and urban populations, revealing that 23.8 per cent of rural people and 38 per cent of urban dwellers consume fruit. Regionally, fruit consumption varies, with Barishal at 40.2 per cent, Chattogram at 17.3 per cent, Dhaka at 26.5 per cent, Khulna at 26.2 per cent, Mymensingh at 35.8 per cent, Rangpur at 60.1 per cent and Sylhet at 45.7 per cent.
In terms of meat consumption, rural populations consume 15.7 per cent of beef and 33.1 per cent of poultry, while egg consumption is 10.1 per cent in rural areas and 18.9 per cent in urban ones.
Although the production of eggs, milk, and meat has increased in the country, Dr. Amin noted that the wealthy are able to consume these foods at a much higher rate than the poor, with the latter's intake standing at just 2 per cent compared to 7 per cent for the wealthy.
Taking part in the discussion, BFSA Chairman Zakaria highlighted the difficulty of conducting product testing in open markets since the BFSA does not control production. However, they monitor restaurants to ensure they do not serve adulterated food, and when violations are found, the authorities take strict action.
He mentioned that the BFSA recently discovered chalk powder in spices in Kushtia and harmful substances in a soft drink several months ago.
The BFSA is currently operating with a workforce of 248 personnel, and efforts are underway to increase this number. In addition, three new labs will be set up in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Khulna with foreign funding to further test food safety.
Despite the BFSA's efforts to take action, the companies involved resorted to legal channels to resolve the issue, showcasing the limitations of the authority, BFSA chair has said.
