Fruit and vegetable consumption, preventive behaviors against introduction of organophosphate and carbamate residues in vegetables and fruits into the body, and university students’ cholinesterase level in serum in southern Thailand

Abstract

The objective of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the amount of fruit and vegetable consumption, preventive behaviors against the introduction of organophosphate and carbamate residues in vegetables and fruits into the body, and university students’ cholinesterase level in serum in the selected university in southern Thailand. The total sample is 382 people. Study tools included a questionnaire for collecting general information, a questionnaire on the behaviors to prevent the introduction of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables into the body (CVI = 0.85 and Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.98), and serum cholinesterase level tests using reactive paper. The data was collected by accidental sampling from the students who dined in the cafeteria in the university and the data were analyzed on the SPSS program by using statistics, which included percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square, and odds ratio. The results of this research shown that the quantity of samples separated by gender, female 50.26%, and male 49.74%; the average age is 19.97±2.36 years old; average vegetable consumption is 2.09±1.48 ladles/day; and fruit consumption is 2.18±1.45 handfuls/day. 54.71% of students were found to have serum chemical residues at the safe level. The samples who did not wash the fruits and vegetables by having the running water flow through them, using the Baking soda (NaHCO3) baking soda powder solution to cleanse them, and not peeling them before eating are 1.562, 1.45, and 2.4451 times more likely to have an unsafe level of serum Choline Esterase than those who practices the three cleaning methods mentioned earlier, respectively.. However, that risk has no statistically significant difference. Moreover, this research found that each behavior of fruits and vegetables cleaning for to prevent ingestion of chemicals into the body has no specific relations to Choline Esterase enzyme level in serum. Based on the findings, people should be encouraged to use multiple ways to get rid of Organophosphate and Carbamate from fruits and vegetables. These recommended methods include use of baking sodapowder, soaking and rinsing fruits and vegetable by running water, and peeling them off before eating to prevent those chemical leftover in the body system. In addition, farmers should also be educated and encouraged to reduce chemical use in the production process in order to reduce the chemical leftover on the soil surface and in the tissues of fruits and vegetables.