Tembikai Dan Furadan

Bila terbaca e-mel  dari blog  (sini) , Madre teruja nak tau lebih lanjut tentang FURADAN yang dimaksudkan itu. Memang sahih  ia boleh mengancam nyawa manusia,namun entah berapa banyak dah kita telan racun yang berbisa itu dari buah2an seperti semangka atau tembikai...........tau2 dapat je  penyakit yang berbagai. 

Tembikai atau semangka juga digubah cantik  untuk hidangan pengantin makan berdamai

Mana tidaknya....di tengah siang yang terik, betapa segarnya bila kita makan buah tembikai itu. Apalagi, irisan buahnya baru saja diambil dari peti sejuk. Hmm…, terasa ummphh tidak hanya pada setiap gigitan yang memberikan kesegaran pada mulut, tetapi bahkan  terasa  nuuuunnn... sampai ke dada.
Ternyata, makan buah tembikai tidak hanya menyegarkan, bahkan hasil penelitian terbaru menunjukkan bahawa  ia mengandungi lycopene beta carotene yang bermanfaat untuk meningkatkan kesuburan dan membantu membangkitkan ghairah seksual sang teruna.

Buah yang dipercayai berasal dari gurun Kalahari, Afrika, ini juga mengandung citrulline yang bermanfaat menjadikan tekanan pembuluh darah menjadi rileks dan meningkatkan nitric oxide yang mempunyai pengaruh sama hebatnya (atau bahkan tidak kalah) dengan Viagra.

Makan buah tembikai juga boleh meningkatkan sistem imun di dalam tubuh .  Kandungan yang ada didalamnya juga mampu mengeluarkan ammonia dan toxic berbahaya lainnya yang terdapat dalam tubuh.
Lycopene beta carotene yang ada dalam tembikai juga diyakini mampu memerangi radikal bebas dengan sangat ampuh.
Zat penting dalam tembikai itu juga berupaya mengurangi risiko terkena kanser.
Wow…, makan buah tembikai ternyata tidak hanya menyegarkan, di samping manfaat sebagaimana di atas, juga membantu sel-sel tubuh tetap sehat dan kulit menjadi lebih segar dan berseri.

Hmmm…., begitu tinggi khasiat  untuk dinikmati sekiranya diusahakan secara ORGANIK gitewww, tetapi sedar tak sedar selama ini kita telah tertipu dengan produk2 pertanian yang berisiko meragut nyawa seperti dinyatakan dibawah ini:

(sumber rujukan)

Furadan is the trade name of Carbofuran, which is 2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-benzofuranyl methylcarbamate (CAS number is 1563-66-2) manufactured  by FMC Corporation. This pesticide is very successful in controlling pests in field of crops like watermelon, potatoes, beet, maize, sorghum, sunflowers, oilseed rape, alfalfa, peanuts, soya beans, sugar cane, rice, cotton, coffee, cucurbits, tobacco, lavender, citrus, vines, strawberries, bananas and other vegetable crops. Due to its cholinesterase inhibitor activity, carbofuran is considered a neurotoxin pesticide and is deadly to human beings, animals and birds.

Possibilities of Carbofuran dangers

Furadan  is a systemic insecticide, in which the plant absorbs through the roots, and distributed mainly in vessels, stems and leaves. Usually fruits are not getting precipitated with traces, but some studies in India showed that it may precipitate in banana, or watermelon.

Furadan is water soluble and acts as systemic pesticide. Hence the chances of absorbing and storing as a metabolite in Watermelon is highly possible. Authorities in all countries must  perform valid studies in this area to find the exact truth.

Watermelon and other fleshy fruits are on high risk while considering these facts. Many countries like USA already banned the presence of Carbofuran in any foods or fruits. On May 11 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that traces of carbofuran can no longer remain on food sold in the United States, whether domestic or imported, 

This ban clearly indicates that the traces of Furadan or Carbofuran is present in many fruits and crops where they were cultivated by using this pesticide as prime insecticide. Kenya is another country that took strong measures against the use of carbofuran.

In their website, www.furadanfacts.com, FMC says” Furadan remains a useful product, vital to the sustainability of agriculture. FMC believes the proper use of Furadan does not create a risk to human health, wildlife, or the environment, and we will continue to promote its responsible use.”

But this claim cannot be accepted as it is stated. Until now , there is no clear studies about the after effects of prolonged consumption of mild traces of Carbofuran or its metabolites done anywhere in world. Developing countries like India and China still permit the use in paddy field and cotton fields.

Some of the trade names that are available in market :

1. 'Curaterr' (Bayer)
2. 'Furadan' (FMC)
3. 'Agrofuran' (Sanonda)
4. 'Carbodan' (Makhteshim-Agan)
5. 'Carbosip' (Sipcam)
6. 'Cekufuran' (Cequisa)
7. 'Chinufur' (Agro-Chemie)
8. 'Furacarb' (Aimco)
9. 'Fury' (Nagarjuna Agrichem)
10. 'Terrafuran' (Sanachem)

*Unless it is "organic" food, farmers apply insecticides and herbicides to almost all fruits and vegetables they grow these days. Commercial Banana and papaya are not exception!