Widespread use of insecticides is causing several risks to public health. Malathion is an organophosphate insecticide which binds irreversibly to cholinesterase. This pesticide is widely used in agriculture, residential landscaping, public recreation areas, and in public health pest control programs such as mosquito and fruit fly eradication. In the US, it is the most commonly used organophosphate insecticide and is also found in wetlands.

Organophosphates (i.e., organophosphorous pesticides) are not allowed in organic agriculture.

Although Malathion is considered an insecticide of relatively low toxicity to humans, it affects many species other than the insects that it is intended to kill. Even humans may experience deleterious effects from exposure to Malathion. Documented effects in various animal species include developmental disruptions in amphibians, reproductive problems, hyperglycemia and cancers in rats, and toxicity in human blood cells. Read more about this and educate yourself!

Malathion

induces oxidative stress and toxicity in human erythrocytes Durak et al. Environ Toxicol 2009;243:235-42

induces DNA damage in the peripheral blood and hippocumpus of laboratory rats Reus et al J Agric Food Chem 2008;5616:7560-5

induces testicular toxicity in rats Uzun et al. Food Chem Toxicol 2009, suppresses testosterone levels, reduces testicular weight, decreases sperm density, and increases protein and cholesterol content in in the testes Chouldhary et al. J Environ Biol. 2008;292:259-62

is cytotoxic to hepatocytes (liver cells), lung epithelium, adrenal medulla and disrupts the germ line of rats Saadi et al. Commun Agric Appl Biol Sci 2008, 734:875-81

induces lipid peroxidation and liver damage in laboratory rats Rezq et al C R Biol 2008;3319:655-62

disrupts metabolic pathways in the laboratory rat where increased plasma trigycerides and LDL levels induce hyperglycemia Lasram et al J Hazard Mater 2009;1632-3:1052-5

exacerbates schistosomiasis (a parasitic disease caused by several species of fluke of the genus Schistosoma) in infected lab mice Elsheikja et al. Acta Trop 2008;1081:11-9

in the presence of elevated estrogen concentrations, it induces lung cancer in rats Echiburu-Chau & Calaf Int J Ocol 2008;333:603-11

causes acute toxicity to freshwater fish where sublethal concentrations cause hyperexcatability, loss of equilibrium, respiratory dysfunction and distress, and impairment of the oxidative metabolism Patil & David J Basic Clin Pharmacol 2008;192:167-75

disrupts the normal development of frogs, leaving them more susceptible to parasite invasion Budischak et al Environ Toxicol Chem 2008;2712:2496-500

is toxic to larvae and embryo of the axolotl amphibia Robles-Mendoza et al. Chemosphere 2009; 745:703-10

at low concentrations, it causes a decline of zooplankton, which negatively impacted frog populations via a trophic cascade Relyea & Diecks Ecol Appl. 2008;187:1728-42

These are just a few of the published manuscripts on the negative effects of this commonly used insecticide.

We at Onesta Organics support only those agricultural methods which exclude toxins that can harm the environment and your pet. We therefore choose certified organic ingredients whenever they”re available (they are usually available; exceptions include citric acid, calcium carbonate, and all species of fish). This way, we know that we aren”t contributing to the further destruction of our environment and depletion of our planet’s resources. We can also be certain that we don”t produce pet foods that have agricultural chemical residues which can harm your pet’s health.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 25th, 2009 at 6:42 pm and is filed under Organic Pet Food Standards. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.