Effects of home preparation on pesticide residues in cabbage

Experiment was carried out to evaluate the pesticides (chlorpyrifos, p,p-DDT, cypermethrin, chlorothalonil) residue levels in cabbage in the process of home preparation by washing with different concentrations of acetic acid and sodium chlorine, and tap water, preserving in refrigerator, and stir-frying for different time. Results showed that washing by tap water and/or detergent solution for cooking are necessary to decrease the concentration of pesticide residues in cabbage. Washing with acetic acid solutions (at 10% concentration for 20 min) caused 79.8%, 65.8%, 74.0% and 75.0% loss of the above pesticides, respectively. Washing with NaCl solutions (at 10% concentration for 20 min) produced 67.2%, 65.0%, 73.3% and 74.1% loss, respectively, and washing by tap water (for 20 min) were 17.6%, 17.1%, 19.1% and 15.2% loss, respectively. The reductions due to the refrigeration (for 48 h) were 3.4%, 2.6%, 3.1% and 3.6%, respectively, and those due to the stir-frying (for 5 min) were 86.6%, 67.5%, 84.7% and 84.8%, respectively. The data indicated that washing by detergent solutions and stir-frying of cabbage are the most effective home preparations for the elimination of pesticide residues.