Tomatoes and Weedkiller
 

This might sound too bizarre to believe, but
it is absolutely genuine. Any sensible advice will be
welcomed.

My elderly mother, now nearly 90, has grown
tomatoes in her greenhouse for the best part of
50 years. Occasionally the plants get whitefly, and
that happened this year. She picked up what she
thought was the correct spray to give them a jolly
good going over, but -- her eyesight not being
what it was, and both cans being yellow -- she
sprayed them all with weedkiller.

Although she realised her error within an hour and
subsequently sprayed them with water, naturally
they all shrivelled and died within 24 hours. However,
there were dozens and dozens of ripening tomatoes
on the plants which she has since harvested and put
in the sun to finish the ripening process.

The weedkiller was glyphosate, and it says on the
can that it's safe to use around children and pets,
and that it breaks down quickly in the soil after use.

The question is: are the tomatoes safe to eat?

Philip Eden

"Philip Eden" philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote in message
...
This might sound too bizarre to believe, but
it is absolutely genuine. Any sensible advice will be
welcomed.

My elderly mother, now nearly 90, has grown
tomatoes in her greenhouse for the best part of
50 years. Occasionally the plants get whitefly, and
that happened this year. She picked up what she
thought was the correct spray to give them a jolly
good going over, but -- her eyesight not being
what it was, and both cans being yellow -- she
sprayed them all with weedkiller.

Although she realised her error within an hour and
subsequently sprayed them with water, naturally
they all shrivelled and died within 24 hours. However,
there were dozens and dozens of ripening tomatoes
on the plants which she has since harvested and put
in the sun to finish the ripening process.

The weedkiller was glyphosate, and it says on the
can that it's safe to use around children and pets,
and that it breaks down quickly in the soil after use.

The question is: are the tomatoes safe to eat?

It does not seem to me to be worth the risk of trying.

Franz

In article , "Philip Eden"
philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom says...
This might sound too bizarre to believe, but
it is absolutely genuine. Any sensible advice will be
welcomed.

My elderly mother, now nearly 90, has grown
tomatoes in her greenhouse for the best part of
50 years. Occasionally the plants get whitefly, and
that happened this year. She picked up what she
thought was the correct spray to give them a jolly
good going over, but -- her eyesight not being
what it was, and both cans being yellow -- she
sprayed them all with weedkiller.

Although she realised her error within an hour and
subsequently sprayed them with water, naturally
they all shrivelled and died within 24 hours. However,
there were dozens and dozens of ripening tomatoes
on the plants which she has since harvested and put
in the sun to finish the ripening process.

The weedkiller was glyphosate, and it says on the
can that it's safe to use around children and pets,
and that it breaks down quickly in the soil after use.

The question is: are the tomatoes safe to eat?


Have a look at: http://www.poptel.org.uk/panap/pest/pe-gly.htm

One part of the article says:

Studies of humans have shown glyphosate to cause lung congestion
or dysfunction; erosion of the gastro-intestinal tract and
massive gastro-intestinal fluid loss; abnormal electrocardiograms
and low blood pressure; kidney failure; and through direct skin
contact swelling of the eye and lid, rapid heartbeat, raised
blood pressure, swollen face, tingling of the skin, and recurrent
eczema. Severe poisoning following ingestion of lethal amounts
involves respiratory and kidney failure, cardiac arrest, coma,
seizures, and death. (Cox ,1995; IPCS , 1994)


Although another part says that glyphosate is not readily
digested, its perhaps not a good idea for a 90 year old to eat 'em.

In article , Philip Eden
philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom@?.? writes

The question is: are the tomatoes safe to eat?

I wouldn't touch them.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

In message , Franz Heymann
writes

"Philip Eden" philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote in message
.. .
This might sound too bizarre to believe, but
it is absolutely genuine. Any sensible advice will be
welcomed.

Although she realised her error within an hour and
subsequently sprayed them with water, naturally
they all shrivelled and died within 24 hours.

**** This does not make any sense. ***** Glyphosate is a slow acting
systemic weedkiller and normally takes 1-2 weeks to kill plants after
spraying.

The weedkiller was glyphosate, and it says on the
can that it's safe to use around children and pets,
and that it breaks down quickly in the soil after use.

The question is: are the tomatoes safe to eat?

It does not seem to me to be worth the risk of trying.

Especially since the way the tomato plants died is inconsistent with the
weedkiller that is supposed to have been used.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

"Philip Eden" philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote in message
...

Thank you to all who responded. I'll tell her to ditch
them. If anyone in the Luton area feels inclined to make
a small present of a couple of pounds of home-grown
tomatoes to a very old lady who is feeling a little down
at the moment, she would I'm sure be unbelievably
delighted.

Philip Eden

In article , Franz Heymann
wrote:

"Philip Eden" philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote in message
...

Although she realised her error within an hour and
subsequently sprayed them with water, naturally
they all shrivelled and died within 24 hours. However,
there were dozens and dozens of ripening tomatoes
on the plants which she has since harvested and put
in the sun to finish the ripening process.

The weedkiller was glyphosate, and it says on the
can that it's safe to use around children and pets,
and that it breaks down quickly in the soil after use.

The question is: are the tomatoes safe to eat?

It does not seem to me to be worth the risk of trying.

The ld50 for glyphosate is measured in grams per kilo - about 4 iIrc. At
spray concentration she'd need to drink gallons to be at significant risk.
(In the days when farm quantities were sold without additives the reps used
to drink some of the mix to show how safe it was.)

The surfactants (used to make sure the spray sticks to the leaves) are more
harmful to humans than the active ingredient.

So give them a wash and tell her that at that dose rate it'll take a century
or so of repeated mistakes before she notices adverse reactions.

Cheerio,

--

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
In message , Franz Heymann
writes

"Philip Eden" philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote in message
.. .
This might sound too bizarre to believe, but
it is absolutely genuine. Any sensible advice will be
welcomed.

Although she realised her error within an hour and
subsequently sprayed them with water, naturally
they all shrivelled and died within 24 hours.

**** This does not make any sense. ***** Glyphosate is a slow
acting
systemic weedkiller and normally takes 1-2 weeks to kill plants
after
spraying.

The weedkiller was glyphosate, and it says on the
can that it's safe to use around children and pets,
and that it breaks down quickly in the soil after use.

The question is: are the tomatoes safe to eat?

It does not seem to me to be worth the risk of trying.

Especially since the way the tomato plants died is inconsistent with
the
weedkiller that is supposed to have been used.

Quite. I have never actually tried to kill a tomato with glyphosate,
but without exception, all weeds I have killed with glyphosate have
taken around 2 weeks to give up the ghost.

Franz

In message , Gluteus Maximus
writes
On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 13:41:30 +0100, "Philip Eden"
philipATweatherHYPHENukDOTcom wrote:


My elderly mother, now nearly 90

NO. Any pesticide/herbicide laden crop is dangerous and should be
avoided at all costs, especially where glyphosate is concerned. The
question granny neeeds to ask is "does she feel lucky"

She's almost 90, I reckon she probably does :-)
--
Chris French and Helen Johnson, Leeds
urg Suppliers and References FAQ:
http://www.familyfrench.co.uk/garden/urgfaq/index.html