DDT and other pesticides banned for decades, including the carcinogen dieldrin, still show up regularly in residue tests. There is a 77 percent chance that a serving of winter squash delivers too much of a banned pesticide to be safe for a young child, the study found. Dieldrin can't be washed off. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says methyl parathion, the most frequently found pesticide in the Consumer Reports analysis, is commonly used on soybeans and vegetables. If you are exposed to methyl parathion or other toxic pesticides, you may have headache, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, chest tightness, blurred vision, and restlessness.
Severe exposure can lead to convulsions, unconsciousness, cardiac arrest, and death.
People who are exposed to significant amounts over time may have a persistent lack of appetite, weakness, and malaise. Swallowing, inhaling, and having skin contact with methyl parathion are all ways in which people can be exposed. The Agency says children and the elderly are especially at risk. Children eat far more produce per pound of body weight than adults and are more sensitive to the effects of pesticides because their nervous systems are changing and developing rapidly. Some pesticides are suspected of causing cancer, and some may interfere with endocrine activity.