Thiruvananthapuram: Dried ginger powder too is laced with a banned pesticide, according to the latest report released by the pesticide residue lab of the Kerala Agriculture University. So far, only vegetables and condiments were found to have banned pesticides.
The Pesticide Residue Research and Analytical Laboratory at College of Agriculture, Vellayani, has found that three dried ginger powder samples contained methyl parathion ranging from 1.1 parts per million to 4.85 parts per million.
At the same time, Kasuri methi, which is an important flavouring agent used in North Indian dishes like butter chicken, dal makhani, gobi makhani etc, has three types of pesticides – chlorpyriphos (1.82 ppm), quinalphos (0.74 ppm) and cypermethrin (0.13 ppm).
Dr. Thomas Biju Mathew, associate director (plant protection) and head of the PRRAL, told this newspaper that though 7,500 samples of fruits, vegetables, spices and condiments were checked for the last five years, farmers and traders contaminate them with banned pesticides.
“These samples were checked during January – March. The Kerala government had banned methyl parathion in the 80’s with the central government restricting it in 2001. I understand that the farmers use the banned pesticide when dried ginger is stored in sacks for longer period,” he said.
Out of the three dried ginger powder samples procured for checking, one was an organic product from Wayanad. One packet of branded tea dust out of two samples tested had 0.11 ppm of ethion, an organophosphate insecticide used by chilli farmers from remote farms to control chilli mites, a major pest problem of the crop.
