Alimentos, fontes de vida ou doença? Avaliação do risco de ingestão de resíduos de agrotóxicos em alimentos oferecidos em restaurantes institucionais

Abstract

Brazil is the world's largest consumer of pesticides, and its food production is dominated by agribusiness. This, in turn, leads to an increase in the use of pesticides in agriculture, which has harmful effects on food systems, health, and the environment. Data on chronic pesticide exposure are limited, making it difficult to determine the actual impact of these chemicals on human health. Estimating the amount of pesticide residue intake through food can be a data strategy that expands the role of nutritionists in menu planning for food services. This study aimed to assess the risk of pesticide exposure in foods served at institutional food services units by estimating waste intake. It analyzed 120 lunch menus from six institutional restaurants. It aimed to determine whether the active pesticide ingredients found in the food offered were allowed, their toxicological and agronomic characteristics, bioaccumulation potential, and risk of chronic exposure. The study followed a cross-sectional, quantitative, and descriptive approach. To evaluate whether the pesticides were allowed for use in food in Brazil, data on Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) and Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) were collected from the National Health Surveillance Agency - ANVISA and the Codex Alimentarius database. For the analysis of the Theoretical Maximum Daily Intake (TMDI), the calculation was performed according to the relationship between the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) of the pesticide and the per capita amount of the food. The TMDI was expressed in mg/kg of body weight and compared with the ADI to assess the risk of exposure. Maximum daily intake estimates considered the lunch meal, and 263 active ingredients (AI) were identified: 43% insecticides, 40% fungicides, 14% herbicides, 1% nematicides, and 1% acaricides, authorized for use in 40 foods. About the residues possibly most present in the foods offered on menus, 4% are extremely toxic, 5% are highly toxic, and 14% are moderately toxic to health. The analysis identified 42 compounds with high bioaccumulation potential, especially those authorized in animal-source foods. The possible presence of multiple pesticide residues were found in a single food, with rice, beans, wheat, potatoes, tomatoes, milk, and ultra-processed sauce being everyday foods with the highest approved pesticide amount. To estimate daily intake, AIs including 2,4D, acephate, bifenthrin, carbaryl, methomyl, cypermethrin, chlorothalonil, chlorpyrifos, glyphosate, imidacloprid, tebuconazole, and terbufos were analyzed. Our findings indicate that 99% of the AI possibly present in foods are within the acceptable ADI range. However, they warn of these substances' toxic, synergistic, and cumulative effects. The insecticide methomyl possibly presented an unacceptable risk of ingestion only during the lunch meal, with average TMDI values of 0.264 mg/kg of body weight. It has been concluded that chronic pesticide exposure occurs through food, particularly methomyl present in beans and rice. The data reinforces the importance of monitoring pesticides in food and the need for changes in food systems, promoting the acquisition of healthy and safe food for collective consumption.