Mysterious, potential hazardous watermelons surface in grocery stores across Krasnodar region
In Russia, the traditional season for fully ripened watermelons falls at the end of July, but early fruits have already started appearing on the shelves in Kuban. However, economist Dmitry Morokovkin warns consumers about the potential dangers of buying early watermelons, particularly those grown using chemical growth stimulants.
The primary concern is the accumulation of excessive nitrates and associated chemical residues in these early fruits. Nitrates, often used as fertilizers, can convert into nitrites and carcinogenic nitrosamines in the body, posing risks such as tissue damage and potential cancer development. Excessive nitrates can also cause acute food poisoning, especially in children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.
Other chemical residues from growth stimulants and pesticides used may have hormonal or systemic toxic effects. While the specific chemicals used in Russian watermelon production were not detailed, pesticides have been linked to hormone disruption, cancer risks, and developmental toxicity.
The nitrates in early-grown watermelons can transform into carcinogenic nitrosamines, and residues from pesticides and herbicides such as glyphosate are linked to increased cancer risk in animal studies. These health risks, including acute nitrate poisoning, carcinogenic exposure, hormone disruption, and digestive issues, are particularly dangerous for vulnerable populations like children and the elderly.
To minimize these risks, experts advise buying watermelons only in season—typically late summer to early fall—when natural ripening occurs and chemical use is minimal. Purchasing from reliable sources to avoid contaminated or overly treated fruit is crucial.
It's essential to remember that a high price for early watermelons does not guarantee their good quality. The pursuit of profit drives some farmers to abuse fertilizers, potentially leading to harmful chemical accumulation in the fruit pulp.
In summary, choosing watermelons in their natural season and from trusted vendors can help reduce the potential health risks associated with early watermelons grown with chemical growth stimulants in Russia. This information is reported by "Lenta.ru".
[1] "Nitrate toxicity in watermelons." Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2015. [2] "Pesticides and human health." World Health Organization. 2018. [3] "Glyphosate and cancer." Environmental Health Perspectives. 2018. [4] "Watermelon safety." U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2020.
- The accumulation of excessive nitrates and chemical residues in early watermelons grown using chemical growth stimulants poses various health risks, such as tissue damage, potential cancer development, acute food poisoning, hormone disruption, and digestive issues.
- Nitrates, often used as fertilizers, can convert into nitrites and carcinogenic nitrosamines in the body, increasing the risk of cancer, especially for vulnerable populations like children and the elderly.
- To minimize these potential health risks, it is crucial to buy watermelons only in season, typically during late summer to early fall, and from reliable sources to avoid contaminated or overly treated fruit, as choosing watermelons in their natural season and from trusted vendors can help reduce the associated risks.
