Learning Biology

Pesticides are substances that are used to exterminate pests. Pesticides can be chemicals, disinfectants, or any other substance used to eliminate the presence of pests, such as insects, molds, fungi, bacteria, rodents, or weeds. Pesticides are a common form of the removal of pests in food. This is a safe practice because it decreases the chance of humans getting sick from diseases caused by pests. However, using pesticides in food is also dangerous because ,if used incorrectly, the chemicals can be very dangerous to humans.
<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pesticide</ref>
The good side of using pesticides is that they can remove many pests that may be harmful to humans. When used appropriately, pesticides can be very helpful in the removal of pests from foods. The government and the EPA regulate the amount of pesticides that can be put into certain foods. If this safety practice is followed, no harm should come to any one who consumes the food. The EPA also annually checks different pesticides to make sure they are still safe for human consumption and that the correct amounts are still being used.
<ref>http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/food/viewtols.htm</ref>
However, even when used safely, pesticides can still be dangerous to the health of humans. Pesticides are sometimes thought of as a bad choice to remove dangerous pests from foods because the harsh chemicals can cause medical problems in people. Pesticides can leave behind dangerous substances in the food if too much is used or the wrong ones are used. The chemicals in the pesticides can also take away or harm the healthful affects of the foods being eaten. Nutrients may be lost in the process of using pesticides.
<ref>http://environment.about.com/b/2005/12/18/dangerous-pesticides-found-in-all-oranges-tested.htm</ref>
My thoughts on using pesticides to remove harmful pests from foods, is that it is a good idea. Yes, the chemicals can be harmful but it is rare when safety practices are used in the process. With the EPA and the government checking regularly on which pesticides are safe to use in foods being consumed by humans, health problems will not often occur. The risk when using pesticides is worth taking because if not then the risk of getting diseases from unprotected foods becomes a problem. That is why I think it is best if pesticides are used in foods.