Influence of pH, Total Acidity and Technological Processes of Preparation of babenda “leafy vegetables and cereal sauce” on Pesticide Residues

The uncontrolled use of pesticides on leafy vegetables has been frequently reported in recent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of pH, total acidity and various technological processes for the preparation of babenda on pesticide residues contained in leafy vegetable. The "babenda" is a Burkinabe dish consisting mainly of Hibiscus sabdariffa, Amaranthus hybridus and Cleome gynandra coarsely cut from steamed rice. The Quick, Easy Cheap Effective Rugged Safe Method (QuEChERS) and Gas Chromatography with Microelectron Capture Detector (GC-μECD) were used. Six pesticides were detected in 180 samples of leafy vegetables and cereal sauce (babenda) collected in 5 cities of Burkina Faso. Results showed that 56% of the samples contained residues among which 41.66% contained concentrations above the LMR and 25% contained multiple pesticides. There were found a correlation between pH and dieldrin content. Compared with the diuron with an average value of 0.0625-0.0969 mg.kg-1, there is no correlation between this molecule and the pH (5.86) whose acidity varies between 0.04 - 0.10. The pH has an influence on the cypermethrin and the diuron. However acidity has an effect on the degradation of Lamda-cyhalothrines, 2, 4 DDT, dieldrin, heptachlor. For treatments of 150°C and 300°C, organochlorine pesticides are little or no degradation. There is a considerable reduction as the temperature increases. Only lindane, heptachlor, aldrin, alpa-endosulfan and 2, 4 DDT which have undergone total destruction from 250 and 300°C. Significant reductions were observed in all treatments applied. Future research needs to focus on the integration of food safety parameters into actual applied research at the level of babenda producers.