Greenpeas found in dried herbs and spices poison cocktails containing up to 20 organochlorine chemicals used in agriculture. Among them there are many risky nerve and reproductive poisons for humans.

Above all Curry powder and Paprika powder contain large quantities of pesticides and other organochlorine chemicals used in agriculture.

Numerous dried herbs and spices are contaminated with pesticides. According to the Greenpeas report on Thursday (29.10.2009) in Hamburg that 25% of the analyzed 37 samples from the conventional cultivation could not be recommended for human consumption.

Particularly, like already in the previous year, paprika powder and Curry powder as well as dried parsley had more residues of pesticides. For example, the dried parsley of the brand Tip, a home-mark of the Metro daughter Real in Hamburg, has exceeded legally specified maximum quantity of pesticide residue levels. Greenpeas had taken legal action against Metro. Fresh herbs, however, had less pesticide residues compared with 2008.

Paprika powder or Curry powder contained according to Greenpeas up to 20 different organochlorine chemicals. Among them are chemicals like Chlorpyrifos ethyl, a nerve poison and Carbendazim which influences the reproductive capacity negatively. Even the pesticide DDT (Dichlordiphenyltrichlorethane), banned in the European Union, was found in a Curry sample. Greenpeas criticized at the same time lack of laws to protect the consumers. Thus, there are no declared pesticide residue levels for spice mixtures such as curry powder. If the pesticide load is high it is not good for our health.

From the beginning of September 2009 Greenpeas bought altogether 44 samples of parsley, chives, curry powder and paprika powder, out of that seven were from biological cultivation. They originate according to Greenpeas from branches of the six prominent German supermarket chains and a bio supermarket in Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich and Frankfurt/Main area.

http://www.focus.de/gesundheit/ernaehrung/news/greenpeace-gewuerze-mit-pestiziden-belastet_aid_449178.html