Food Poisoning Due to Methamidophos-Contaminated Vegetables

Background: Organophosphate poisoning is well known for its characteristic symptoms and signs, but food poisoning caused by pesticide-contaminated food is seldom reported. Case Report: We report three incidents of food poisoning that resulted from exposure to the organophosphate insecticide methamid...

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Published inJournal of toxicology. Clinical toxicology Vol. 39; no. 4; pp. 333 - 336
Main Authors Wu, Ming-Ling, Deng, Jou-Fang, Tsai, Wei-Jen, Ger, Jiin, Wong, Sue-Sun, Li, Hong-Ping
Format Journal Article Conference Proceeding
LanguageEnglish
Published Monticello, NY Informa UK Ltd 2001
Taylor & Francis
Dekker
Subjects
Adult
Autonomic Nervous System Diseases - chemically induced
Autonomic Nervous System Diseases - physiopathology
Biological and medical sciences
Cholinesterases - blood
Female
Food Contamination - analysis
food poisoning
Food toxicology
Humans
Insecticides - poisoning
Male
Medical sciences
methamidophos
Middle Aged
Organothiophosphorus Compounds - poisoning
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Toxicology
vegetables
Vegetables - poisoning
Asia
Taiwan
Case study
Human
Insecticide
Accident
Residue
Toxicity
Pesticides
Organophosphorus compounds
Poisoning
Vegetable
Food
Chemical contamination
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Summary:Background: Organophosphate poisoning is well known for its characteristic symptoms and signs, but food poisoning caused by pesticide-contaminated food is seldom reported. Case Report: We report three incidents of food poisoning that resulted from exposure to the organophosphate insecticide methamidophos in vegetables. These outbreaks caused a cholinergic syndrome in 4 patients. The cholinergic overactivity led us to suspect organophosphate food poisoning. All patients recovered well following appropriate therapy. The clinical diagnosis of organophosphate poisoning was confirmed by reduced levels of erythrocytes and plasma cholinesterase and the presence of methamidophos in the vegetable leftovers. The implicated vegetables and levels of methamidophos were: Ipomoea batatas 255 ppm, Gynura bicolor 110 ppm, and red cabbage 26.3 ppm. Since methamidophos is normally applied to vegetables during planting, improper selection and or overuse of pesticide or improper harvest times may explain the occurrence of these high residue levels of methamidophos.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
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ISSN:0731-3810
1097-9875
DOI:10.1081/CLT-100105150