Bengaluru: A troubling discovery in Bengaluru has raised concerns about the safety of vegetables available in the city’s markets. Research conducted by the Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI), a Karnataka government organization, has revealed that these vegetables contain higher levels of heavy metals than permitted.
The EMPRI conducted an extensive study, analyzing 400 samples of 10 different vegetables from various stores and supermarkets in the city. The results are alarming, as they indicate heavy metal levels exceeding the standards set by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
The research collected samples from a wide range of sources, including supermarkets, HOPCOMS (Horticultural Producers Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society), local stores, and organic markets. Notably, heavy metals have been found in commonly consumed vegetables such as brinjals, beans, capsicums, carrots, green chilies, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and spinach.
Bengaluru largely depends on neighboring districts like Kolar, Chikkaballapura, and Ramanagara, in addition to its urban and rural areas, to meet the increasing demand for vegetables. Consumers turn to HOPCOMS, supermarkets, and local vendors for their vegetable needs.
HOPCOMS, for instance, supplies a significant 70 tonnes of vegetables, highlighting the scale of the issue. Bengaluru’s population accounts for more than one-fifth of Karnataka’s total population, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
The EMPRI study emphasizes the importance of not using wastewater for vegetable cultivation and recommends an immediate halt to the use of drainage and effluent waters for irrigation.
The findings are cause for concern, with some heavy metal levels well above the permissible limits set by the FAO. For example, the FAO’s permissible limit for Iron is 425.5 mg/Kg, but beans were found to contain 810.20 mg/Kg of Iron, Coriander had 945.70 mg/Kg, and Spinach exhibited 554.58 mg/Kg.
Similarly, Cadmium, with a permissible limit of 0.2 mg/Kg according to the FAO, was found to be significantly higher in the tested samples. Brinjal contained 52.30 mg/Kg, Coriander 53.30 mg/Kg, Spinach 53.50 mg/Kg, and Carrots had a concerning 54.60 mg/Kg of Cadmium.
In response to these findings, there is an urgent need for comprehensive measures to ensure the safety and health of Bengaluru’s residents who rely on these essential food items.