AUTHOR=Park Minsoo , Kim Hyeonjun , Kim Myungheon , Im Moo-hyeog 

TITLE=Reduction in residual cyantraniliprole levels in spinach after various washing and blanching methods

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.948671

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2022.948671

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=Pesticides are used to protect crops from pests and diseases. However, as many pesticides are toxic to humans, it is necessary to assess methods that can remove pesticide residues from agricultural products before human consumption. Spinach is consumed immediately after a relatively simple washing and heating process in the Republic of Korea. Cyantraniliprole is used as a systemic insecticide during spinach cultivation, which means it might remain in the crop after processing. Consequently, it is important to assess whether residues can be reduced to levels that are harmless to the human body after processing. This study investigated the reduction in residual cyantraniliprole levels after washing and blanching spinach. The amount of cyantraniliprole residue in the spinach samples sprayed with cyantraniliprole during cultivation was analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UHPLC-MS/MS). The time of each washing and blanching method was set at 1, 3, and 5 min. The residual levels of cyantraniliprole decreased by 19.64–54.63% and 60.05%–93.45% based on the employed washing and blanching methods, respectively. The most effective washing method to reduce residual cyantraniliprole levels was steeping with a neutral detergent, resulting in cyantraniliprole reduction by 42.89–54.63%. When spinach was blanched after steeping washing with a neutral detergent, the highest reduction rates of 77.88% and 91.20% were observed after 1 and 3 min of blanching, respectively. Blanching for 5 min after steeping and running washing exhibited the highest reduction rate of 93.45%. Therefore, a considerable amount of cyantraniliprole residue in spinach could be removed by washing or blanching, and blanching after steeping washing was the most efficient method that removed up to 93.45% of the cyantraniliprole residue from spinach. Based on the results of this study, blanching after steeping washing can be implemented as an effective method of reducing pesticide concentration in spinach and other crops, thereby reducing their potential toxicity to humans upon consumption.