The Potential Hazard of Consuming Bundles of Leafy Edible Minor Crops: Agricultural Weeds

Minor crops (parsley, mint, rocket, etc.), which are leafy edible vegetables, are among the indispensable consumption products of tables in Türkiye. These products, grown for their rich and nutritious content, can be eaten raw or cooked. In agricultural areas, weeds prevent the development of minor crops and reduce yields and product quality if not controlled. Weeds grown at the same time as these products reach the markets in bundles with the products during the harvest and from the markets to the tables. Intensive consumption of weeds accidentally mixed into the bunch can cause some undesirable health problems, such as poisoning. In this study, the contamination rates of the minor crop bundles purchased periodically in different periods from the public market of two different districts (Çukurova and Seyhan) in the province of Adana between 2021-2023 were determined. A total of 135 minor crop bundles were purchased over two years and 36 different weed species were recorded. It was found that the contamination rate of the total weeds was 50.37% and the most confused species were Cyperus rotundus L. (8.15%), Convolvulus arvensis L. (6.67%), Portulaca oleracea L. and Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv (3.70%). The study was carried out to determine the level of contamination of the consumed bundles with plant parts and the toxicity potential (harmful components, toxins) of the weed species found in these bundles on health.