Into the Mouths of Babes

The document highlights the vulnerability of children and fetuses to pesticide exposure, noting that standard safety assessments often ignore the effects of chemical mixtures and hormone disruptors. It criticizes the UK government for failing to extend strict pesticide limits—currently only applicable to processed baby foods—to all foods, and calls for a transition toward organic farming and pesticide-free produce in schools.

• Children are more susceptible to pesticide toxicity than adults because their primary organs, such as the brain and immune system, undergo rapid development from the womb through early childhood.
• Pre-school children have higher pesticide exposure relative to their body weight than adults, consuming significantly more fruit, vegetables, bread, cereals, and dairy produce proportionally.
• Government pesticide safety assessments typically evaluate chemicals individually, failing to account for the risks of mixtures; 2000 data showed that nearly half of tested pears and one third of apples contained residues of multiple pesticides.
• Certain pesticides identified by the European Union as hormone disruptors can mimic or block natural hormones, potentially contributing to falling sperm counts and earlier puberty in girls.
• While the European Commission set a strict pesticide limit of one part in 100 million for processed baby food in 1999, this protection does not extend to the fresh pureed fruits and vegetables that many infants consume.
• The UK government's approach to pesticide safety is criticized for relying on 'toxicologically acceptable' levels and advising parents to peel produce rather than ensuring the food is safe.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2002). Into the Mouths of Babes. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/mouthofbabes.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Into the Mouths of Babes. 2002. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/mouthofbabes.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Into the Mouths of Babes |date=March 2002 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/mouthofbabes.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2002into, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Into the Mouths of Babes}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2002}, month = mar, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/mouthofbabes.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }