Levels of pesticide reduce in cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)

Vegetables are an essential component of nutritionally balanced diet. Among vegetables cabbage is widely grown in India and it suffers from severe infestation due to insect pests like cabbage looper, cabbage worm and cabbage aphids. To control the pests various pesticides are used, which may be found as remnants on cabbage heads and during processing its disintegrated products remain in the food chain. These pesticide residues, if present in excess, may act as a health hazard to the consumers and may cause chronic diseases. Therefore, an attempt has been made to estimate pesticide residue levels before and after application of food processing practices like washing and cooking in water. The present study indicated considerable amount of reduction in pesticide after washing and cooking in a sample grown under controlled condition. Washing of cabbage samples with water reduced 45.84% of Endosulfan residues but cooking was found to be more effective as it reduced 66.6% of Endosulfan residues.