http://www.courant.com/business/realestate/hc-bizdigbrf1030.art0oct30,0,7256350.story
CONSUMER: State Warns Against Farinha Lactea Cereal
Oct 30, 2008
State officials warning consumers Wednesday not to eat or serve
Nestle's Farinha Lactea toddler cereal because it contains
unacceptable levels of a pesticide.
Inspectors with the state Department of Consumer Protection discovered
more than 200 containers of the product at Mercearia Brasil, a store
in Danbury, CT.
The cereal, im****ted from Brazil, contains the pesticide pirimiphos-
methyl, a grain fumigant. Because the chemical is not used on wheat
products in the U.S., there is no standard for its presence in wheat
cereal, said Jerry Farrell Jr., state consumer protection
commissioner.
"Since no U.S. standard exists, we adopt the position that no amount
of this pesticide is safe in toddler cereal," Farrell said.
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Evaluation of immunotoxicity induced by pirimiphos-methyl in male Balb/
c mice following exposure to for 28 days.
Pirimiphos-methyl (O-2-diethylamino-6-methylpyrimidin-4-yl O,O-
dimethyl phosphorothioate: POM) is widely used organophosphorous (OP)
insecticide as a grain protectant to control insects during storage.
This study was carried out to *****s the immunologic effects of POM in
Balb/c mice after 28-day oral exposure. Three dose levels of POM (10,
60, or 120 mg/kg/day) were administered orally to mice for 4 weeks. At
autopsy after 28-day exposure, there were significant decreases in
relative spleen weight and splenic cellularity found at 120 mg POM,
but body weight, relative thymic weight, thymic cellularity, and
splenic and thymic subsets were not affected. T cell proliferation
response induced by Con A was significantly decreased at all dosages
though no statistical differences were observed in splenic B cell
proliferation. Significant increases in the production of cytokines
(IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IFN-gamma, and IL-10) were evident on the whole,
but the increase in production of inflammatory cytokines overwhelmed
that of the T(H)1 cell suppressive cytokine (IL-10). The relative
levels of three types of autoantibodies, anti-dsDNA, anti-histone, and
antinuclear antibody (ANA) were dose-dependently decreased in serum.
Oral exposure to POM induced a significant decrease in Immunoglobulin
M production capability in Balb/c mice. This decrease in antibody
production capability may result from disturbances in cytokine balance
produced by splenic immune cells. These results show that POM may
induce allergic responses by relatively enhancing T(H)2 development
and additionally contribute to chronic inflammation by attracting
macrophage by IFN-gamma. PMID: 17654245
Effects of pirimiphos-methyl (an organophosphate insecticide) on the
fertility of adult male rats.
BACKGROUND: Organophosphate insecticides represent one of the most
widely used cl***** of pesticides with high potential for human
exposure in both rural and residential environments. OBJECTIVE: In the
present study, we investigated the effects of pirimiphos-methyl (0, 2-
diethylamino-6-methylpirimidin-4-yl O, O-dimethyl phosphorothioate),
an organophosphothioate pesticide, on male rat reproductive
performances. METHODS: A total of 24 adult Wistar rats were divided
into 4 groups of 6 animals each and orally treated with 0, 41.67, 62.5
or 125 mg/kg of pirimiphos-methyl for 90 days. RESULTS: Results from
the study showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in feed consumption,
body weight gain, relative testis and epidiydimis weights and intra-
testicular cholesterol level in rats receiving the test substance at
doses of 62.5 or 125 mg/kg whereas a significant decrease (p<0.05) in
serum total protein, sperm density and motility, fertility and
parturition indices and pups ***-ratio (M/F) was recorded in animals
treated with 125 mg/Kg of pirimiphos methyl. Histological findings
also indicated enlargement of interstitial space, inhibition of
spermatogenesis, rarefaction of Leydig cells and oedema in testes
compared to control animals. CONCLUSION: It could then be concluded
that pirimiphos-methyl (62.5 and 125 mg/kg) is detrimental to the
reproductive potentials of male rats. PMID: 17604518
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