According to the latest survey report released by the Brazilian Institute for Consumer Protection (Idec), pesticide residues have been found in a variety of ultra-processed foods such as cookies and pastries, as well as in vegetarian meats, which are regarded as health foods in Brazil.

Brazil's Folha de São Paulo reported on May 21 that the institute has conducted an annual survey called “This package is toxic” for the last three years. In this year's survey, researchers analyzed 24 ultra-processed products in eight categories consumed by Brazilians, testing as many as 563 types of pesticide residues.

The results showed that pesticide residues were found in half of them, including Nissin brand instant noodles, Bimbo brand (Bimbo) Cape Dolphy chocolate-flavored sandwich bread (bolinho Ana Maria), as well as a number of cornstarch cookies, processed pastries, and dairy beverages.

The most frequently occurring pesticide residue ingredient in these products was reported to be from glyphosate. This is the most commonly used herbicide worldwide, but according to information released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (Iarc) of the World Health Organization, it has been banned in several countries.

Prof. Daniella Canela, a nutritionist at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (Uerj) in Brazil, explains that wheat flour used in ultra-processed foods may contain glyphosate as an ingredient, in addition to the pesticide, which is often used in the cultivation of sugar cane and corn for sugar production.

Canela also mentioned that cornstarch cookies have always been perceived as “healthy” in Brazil, and for a long time they were even used as a diet food, but the situation has changed as the concept of ultra-processed foods has taken hold.

In 2014, the government issued the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population, which categorize foods into ultra-processed foods (such as cookies, snacks, cakes, instant noodles and sugary drinks), processed foods (such as oils, olive oils and fats used for cooking), lightly processed foods (such as meats, pickled or fermented vegetables), and natural foods (such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, and proteins), and advises the population to avoid ultra-processed foods.

The Consumer Protection Institute's survey also noted that Sadia's frozen vegetarian meat products (e.g., beef-flavored burgers and vegetarian chicken cutlets) had two more pesticide residues than its frozen meat products.

In response, Leonardo Pillon, an attorney with the Institute's Healthy and Sustainable Food Program, said that Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) regulations on pesticides are unclear. In his opinion, Anvisa should be as strict with industrialized foods as it is with natural foods, by tracing the entire production chain of ultra-processed foods in order to identify the stage from which the pesticides come.