What are the potential health effects of the organophosphate pesticides?
Organophosphates affect the nervous system by reducing the ability of cholinesterase, an enzyme, to function properly in regulating a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine helps transfer nerve impulses from a nerve cell to a muscle cell or another nerve cell. If acetylcholine is not properly controlled by cholinesterase, the nerve impulses or neurons remain active longer than they should, overstimulating the nerves and muscles and causing symptoms such as weakness or paralysis of the muscles. The assessment shows that most organophosphate pesticides degrade rapidly and that people are exposed to levels that are not toxic or dangerous. What does this revised cumulative risk assessment show about risks from the organophosphate pesticides? This scientific assessment of organophosphate pesticide food safety contains good news for American consumers. After years of rigorous scientific work, it strongly supports our confidence that the U.S. has one of the safest food supplies
