CLIENT: Mandy Sacher
OUTLET: The Today Show
Health experts are raising serious concerns after Australian food regulators received a proposal to increase the maximum residue limits of a new insecticide called isocycloseram on locally grown berries. The proposal has drawn criticism from parents and nutrition advocates alike, with questions mounting over the long-term safety of increasing chemical exposure in foods that children consume in large quantities relative to their body weight.
Paediatric nutritionist Mandy Sacher appeared on The Today Show to address the issue head-on, urging regulators and consumers to shift the conversation from acceptable limits to active reduction of chemical load. Sacher provided practical guidance for families, including washing berries for 30 to 60 seconds, soaking them in bicarb or apple cider vinegar, rotating fruit varieties and considering frozen organic options as a more affordable alternative. She emphasised that berries remain a healthy and important part of children's diets, while calling for greater scrutiny of cumulative pesticide exposure across the food supply.