Live data from Hacker News

EU-banned pesticides found in rice, tea and spices

foodwatch.org

121–130 of 315 posts

Re: EU-banned pesticides found in rice, tea and spices

#121

Why? I thought pesticides were safe? That's what the Monsanto bot told me, anyway.

I too believed Patrick Moore representing Monstanto when he said 'Round up' was safe to drink.

> When the interviewer immediately offered him a glass of the herbicide to drink, Moore refused, stating: "No, I'm not an idiot," and abruptly ended the interview.

Guess he just want thirsty at that moment.

Re: EU-banned pesticides found in rice, tea and spices

#122

The report itself[†] blames the pesticide residue on a "boomerang effect" from EU countries: EU countries export these banned pesticides to third countries, those countries use the banned pesticides on the food they grow, and then the EU countries import that food. In effect, EU companies are still profiting off of the sale and use of banned pesticides on food that Europeans will eat. [†] https://www.foodwatch.org/fi…

I know someone close who grows oranges in Spain. He has to go through hell, had to rework multiple times the fields so that they pass the strict Spanish regulation for organic produce. They get evaluated not only on the final product being pesticide free, but also on the full process being compliant, with heavy fines for non compliance. This is fine-ish, except that the imported oranges get checked only seldomly (if…

I was surprised after moving to Ireland to discover that you can break the law and nothing will happen. I went through hell with planners (idiots who don’t believe in climate change and hate eaves) while people around me put three mobile homes on their land as well as building two permanent homes with no permission (and ripping out ancient hedgerows) and successfully got retention. Why even bother?

Re: EU-banned pesticides found in rice, tea and spices

#123

The report itself[†] blames the pesticide residue on a "boomerang effect" from EU countries: EU countries export these banned pesticides to third countries, those countries use the banned pesticides on the food they grow, and then the EU countries import that food. In effect, EU companies are still profiting off of the sale and use of banned pesticides on food that Europeans will eat. [†] https://www.foodwatch.org/fi…

I know someone close who grows oranges in Spain. He has to go through hell, had to rework multiple times the fields so that they pass the strict Spanish regulation for organic produce. They get evaluated not only on the final product being pesticide free, but also on the full process being compliant, with heavy fines for non compliance. This is fine-ish, except that the imported oranges get checked only seldomly (if…

Organic food can use organic pesticides.

Re: EU-banned pesticides found in rice, tea and spices

#124
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> strict Spanish regulation for organic produce. Organic labels are a different thing than official regulation though. IMHO organic labels optimize for the wrong things.

There is an official eu organic label. It’s not compulsory of course, but it’s the baseline for organic food production in and for Europe. Other (private) labels have stricter rules and are usually certified in addition to the EU label.

No, this is definitely an official gvmt body that can fine you if you try to sell fruit as organic that doesn't follow the regulations. It IS definitely compulsory if you mark your produce as organic.

Re: EU-banned pesticides found in rice, tea and spices

#125

The report itself[†] blames the pesticide residue on a "boomerang effect" from EU countries: EU countries export these banned pesticides to third countries, those countries use the banned pesticides on the food they grow, and then the EU countries import that food. In effect, EU companies are still profiting off of the sale and use of banned pesticides on food that Europeans will eat. [†] https://www.foodwatch.org/fi…

> EU countries export these banned pesticides to third countries Shouldn't EU ban ideally exports of good that it bans internally?

Couldn't it also be case where the pesticides are fine to use on potatoes but not on tomatoes, for example?

Re: EU-banned pesticides found in rice, tea and spices

#126
post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd be more scared of publicly criticizing Chiquita than the CIA at this point

All but 2 countries in South America have had the experience of democratically electing a leader only to have them overthrown in a US-backed coup. The US/CIA started with this obsession with the 1954 Guatemalan Coup specifically to maintain Guatemala as a banana republic. Chiquita owned most land in Guatemala and left is uncultivated to stifle competition. Jacobo Árbenz wanted to (slightly) tax this land to reduce po…

Not just South America: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alleged_CIA_involvement_in_the...

Re: EU-banned pesticides found in rice, tea and spices

#127
post #6

For spices and tea it really makes sense to buy organic (not that there are no fraudsters but still).

Organic is just green washing, it doesn’t mean no chemicals. Plenty of organic products contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals. Organic oats have been found to contain glyphosate. Organic spices have been found to contain heavy metals.

[deleted]

Re: EU-banned pesticides found in rice, tea and spices

#128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know someone close who grows oranges in Spain. He has to go through hell, had to rework multiple times the fields so that they pass the strict Spanish regulation for organic produce. They get evaluated not only on the final product being pesticide free, but also on the full process being compliant, with heavy fines for non compliance. This is fine-ish, except that the imported oranges get checked only seldomly (if…

> strict Spanish regulation for organic produce. Organic labels are a different thing than official regulation though. IMHO organic labels optimize for the wrong things.

"IMHO organic labels optimize for the wrong things."

What do you mean?

I only know of "Demeter", that also has some very esoteric requirements (homeopathy, cosmic energy flow rituals) - but otherwise organic label optimize for:

- no or little pesticides and herbicides

- more space and better condition for the animals

My only other grievance is that they also all ban GMO

Re: EU-banned pesticides found in rice, tea and spices

#130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its up to individual countries to do it no? They've been testing honey here recently and several brands got removed from stores.

No, it's up to the EU to stop imports from China. It's not possible for individual countries to do it: - Lab testing is complex, requires to identify the DNA of pollens in honey and few countries can do it at the moment. - Honeys are mixed, so it's trivial to receive fake honey in a country that allows it, mix it, and reexport to another one that forbids it. Same happens with olive oils, no one cares. - Many brands j…

Does the EU have a centralized food testing agency?
Post reply on HN