Pesticides and Food

In this SATIS Revisited resource, students examine data, perform a risk assessment, and see how risks are sometimes reported in the media.

This unit focuses on the consumer and considers whether or not we should be concerned about any pesticide residues that may be found on fruit and vegetables. In the first activity, Pesticides: are you ‘bothered'?, students investigate how the safe dose of a chemical is determined.

In the second activity students carry out a risk assessment on spinach using data from a report by the Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC). The PRC is responsible for assessing the risk to consumers from residues left on fruit and vegetables.

The quarterly reports from the PRC sometimes make headline news. In such reports, the full data may not be included or considered, which may lead to biased reporting and/or headlines. In the third activity students have the opportunity to analyse newspaper articles before making up their own minds how they feel about the issue.

Contents of this unit:

Unit overview
Presentation
Guidance for teachers

Pesticides: are you 'bothered'?

• Activity sheet A - What amount of pesticide is safe?
• Activity sheet B - What amount of pesticide is safe? (simplified version)
• Activity sheet - Pesticide opinions (optional)

Is spinach safe?

• Information sheet - Spinach data
• Activity sheet - Is spinach safe? Risk assessment
• Activity sheet - Facing the media

Pesticides in the news

• Activity sheet - Questions for analysing newspaper articles

• URL: http://stem.org.uk/rx3g8