How can simple household procedures reduce exposure to pesticides from fruits and vegetables: current habits and recommenda

Sulimanec, Antonija; Kovačić, Jelena; Macan, Marija; Pavlić, Martina; Keser, Irena; Varnai, Veda Marija

doi:10.2478/aiht-2025-76-3984

Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology, Vol. 76 No. 2, 2025.

Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2025-76-3984

How can simple household procedures reduce exposure to pesticides from fruits and vegetables: current habits and recommenda

Antonija Sulimanec ; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Jelena Kovačić ; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Marija Macan ; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Martina Pavlić ; Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food, Centre for Food Safety, Osijek, Croatia
Irena Keser ; University of Zagreb Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Zagreb, Croatia
Veda Marija Varnai ; Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, Zagreb, Croatia

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cite

APA 6th Edition

Sulimanec, A., Kovačić, J., Macan, M., Pavlić, M., Keser, I. & Varnai, V.M. (2025). How can simple household procedures reduce exposure to pesticides from fruits and vegetables: current habits and recommenda. Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju, 76 (2), 124-128. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2025-76-3984

MLA 8th Edition

Sulimanec, Antonija, et al. "How can simple household procedures reduce exposure to pesticides from fruits and vegetables: current habits and recommenda." Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju, vol. 76, no. 2, 2025, pp. 124-128. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2025-76-3984. Accessed 18 May 2026.

Chicago 17th Edition

Sulimanec, Antonija, Jelena Kovačić, Marija Macan, Martina Pavlić, Irena Keser and Veda Marija Varnai. "How can simple household procedures reduce exposure to pesticides from fruits and vegetables: current habits and recommenda." Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju 76, no. 2 (2025): 124-128. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2025-76-3984

Harvard

Sulimanec, A., et al. (2025). 'How can simple household procedures reduce exposure to pesticides from fruits and vegetables: current habits and recommenda', Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju, 76(2), pp. 124-128. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2025-76-3984

Vancouver

Sulimanec A, Kovačić J, Macan M, Pavlić M, Keser I, Varnai VM. How can simple household procedures reduce exposure to pesticides from fruits and vegetables: current habits and recommenda. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. [Internet]. 2025 [cited 2026 May 18];76(2):124-128. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2025-76-3984

IEEE

A. Sulimanec, J. Kovačić, M. Macan, M. Pavlić, I. Keser and V.M. Varnai, "How can simple household procedures reduce exposure to pesticides from fruits and vegetables: current habits and recommenda", Arhiv za higijenu rada i toksikologiju, vol.76, no. 2, pp. 124-128, 2025. [Online]. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2025-76-3984

Abstract

Healthy as they may be, fruits and vegetables may significantly contribute to dietary pesticide intake in modern households. However, certain simple procedures, such as washing and peeling food, can help reduce this intake. Our study looks deeper into the habits of cleaning fruits and vegetables before consumption or cooking in the households of the Croatian capital Zagreb and its surroundings, based on data collected in the first, 2022–2023 wave of a larger cohort study “Exposure to pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides in children – risk assessment for adverse effects on neuropsychological development and hormonal status”. Data were collected with a questionnaire completed by volunteering parents or legal guardians. Although almost all households reported washing fruits and vegetables before consumption or cooking, over 60 % did not peel fruits and vegetables that can be consumed with the peel, such as apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, and tomatoes (raw and cooked). In addition, we provide general recommendations for reducing dietary exposure to pesticide residues through simple household procedures. Croatian consumers should be better informed about which food products may contribute to higher pesticide exposure and how to reduce it.