(Image source from: ScoopWhoop)

Vegetables are our routine kinda nourishment. We extremely rely on them owing to multiple health grounds, but what if I say the vegetables you are buying in markets are contaminated? Especially if you are a resident of Delhi, don’t overlook this article!

A new study conducted by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) reveals that vegetables that are being grown on the Yamuna floodplains seem to contain high doses of lead and prolonged consumption of these contaminated vegetables could lead to various diseases including cancer and organ damage.

Even if you are buying vegetables that are sold at weekly markets by local vendors, you ought to be cautious because these contaminated vegetables are sent to large wholesale mandis from where it is further distributed weekly markets across the city.

The lead levels were found to be above the standard level in all vegetables collected from vendors.

According to reports, the sample of coriander that was collected from east Delhi's Geeta Colony had the heaviest lead contamination.

According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the safe limit for lead in vegetables was set at 2.5 mg/kg but the vegetable samples that were collected from the floodplain had 2.8 mg/kg to 13.8 mg/kg lead present in them, which is actually alarming.

SK Goyal, senior principal scientist and head of NEERI, Delhi said, "Samples of at least seven types of winter vegetables were collected from three different locations. The level of lead in all the samples was found to be higher than Indian permissible limits."

Goyal further added, “The source of lead could be industries dealing in automobile parts, batteries, paint and polythene. Various kinds of usage of lead-based compounds may also be potential sources."

Heavy-metal contamination in vegetables could result in low energy levels, damage in the functioning of the brains, lungs, kidneys, and liver. Besides, it could even lead to cancer, a study suggests.

By Sowmya Sangam