Exploring household pesticide use and its impact on food safety: A study on resistance mechanisms

Household pesticide use has become a common practice in many regions as families seek to protect their food and living spaces from insects and other pests. While this practice is often perceived as necessary for ensuring cleanliness and preventing crop damage in small home gardens, it carries hidden risks for food safety and long-term public health. This study explores the patterns of household pesticide use and evaluates how these practices contribute to pesticide residues in food and the development of resistance mechanisms in common pests. A mixed methodological approach was employed, combining household surveys, laboratory testing of food samples for residues, and bioassays of pest populations to assess levels of tolerance. The results indicate that most households rely heavily on organophosphates and pyrethroids without observing safety intervals, leading to residues on vegetables and fruits that often exceed recommended safety thresholds. In parallel, resistance mechanisms, particularly metabolic detoxification and target-site mutations, were detected in household pest populations, raising concerns about reduced effectiveness of widely used chemicals. The findings highlight an urgent need to raise awareness among households regarding safe handling of pesticides, to encourage integrated pest management strategies, and to strengthen monitoring systems that address food safety risks outside of commercial agriculture.