What to Do About Pesticide Poisoning in Summer? These First Aid Methods You Must Master

Summer is the peak season for the growth and marketing of all kinds of vegetables, but it is also an active period for pests and diseases to reproduce. Some farmers, in order to harvest early, use insecticides without following the corresponding requirements, which may cause the pesticide residues in the vegetables sold to exceed the standard. If consumers do not handle them properly before eating, pesticide poisoning can easily result. Among the many vegetables, those that are prone to pests and difficult to control once infested are more likely to have pesticide residues, such as choy sum, spinach, water spinach, garland chrysanthemum, goji, Chinese kale, baby bok choy, Chinese chives, cucumber, long beans, leaf mustard, and so on. So what should be done if pesticide poisoning occurs? Let me introduce it to you below.

Pesticide poisoning includes organophosphorus poisoning, organochlorine poisoning, organic nitrogen poisoning, pyrethroid poisoning and many other types, and different types of pesticide poisoning have different symptoms. Symptoms usually begin more than ten minutes after eating. Common symptoms include dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, drooling, abdominal pain, diarrhea, chest tightness, blurred vision, limb weakness, and so on. In severe cases, muscle twitching, difficulty breathing, arrhythmia, confusion, coma, and even death may occur. People poisoned by organophosphorus pesticides have a special garlic odor in their breath.

First aid methods for pesticide poisoning

Once poisoning from pesticide residues on vegetables occurs, induce vomiting immediately. When the patient is conscious and able to cooperate, have the patient drink 300-500 ml of warm water, then use a finger, tongue depressor or chopstick to stimulate the posterior pharyngeal wall or the base of the tongue to induce vomiting. Repeat this until the stomach contents are completely vomited out. After simple treatment, the patient should be sent to the hospital emergency department immediately.

It must be noted that if the poisoned person is in a state of coma or convulsions, vomiting must absolutely not be induced, so as to avoid asphyxiation and life-threatening danger caused by vomit entering the trachea.

The vomit should be collected in a container or plastic bag for testing.

Methods to prevent vegetable pesticide poisoning

For ordinary families and collective canteens, preventing poisoning from pesticide residues on vegetables requires four steps: first wash, second soak, third blanch, fourth stir-fry.

First wash: rinse repeatedly with clean water several times.

Second soak: soak the vegetables in clean water for 30-60 minutes, which can remove part of the residual pesticides.

Third blanch: quickly blanch the vegetables in boiling water and then take them out, which can remove most of the residual pesticides. The water used for blanching must be discarded and not used.

Fourth stir-fry: cook the blanched and removed vegetables according to dietary habits.

Vegetables prepared through these four steps can ensure that more than 95% of residual pesticides are removed.