Assessment of health effects of potato crop phytopharmaceuticals and storage products in a murine model

Potatoes are among the most widely consumed staple foods worldwide, but their cultivation and storage frequently involve multiple phytopharmaceutical products (PPPs), raising concerns about the health risks of dietary pesticide residues. The health effects of multi-residue PPPs used in potato cultivation were assessed in an in vivo murine model, involving 36 mice, and evaluated through omics analyses. Two field cultivation methods (conventional and organic) and two post-harvest storage conditions (using 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene and mint essential oil as sprout inhibitor treatments) were considered. Potato tubers were processed into flour and administered to the animals at a moderate daily dose for 20 consecutive days. Nutrigenomic analyses revealed significant gene deregulations, with 70 genes affected in the liver, 56 in the jejunum, and 52 in the brain, suggesting disturbances in cellular proliferation, nervous system functions, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, reproductive health, and immune responses. Metagenomic analyses indicated microbiota imbalances, including a shift in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidota ratio and changes in 2 bacterial genera with potentially adverse effects. The main residues suspected of producing these effects include propamocarb, carfentrazone, 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene, copper derivatives, and peppermint essential oil. These findings highlight the importance of large-scale omics approaches in uncovering potential biological disruptions, underscore the health risks associated with chronic dietary exposure to pesticide residues, particularly in mixtures, and emphasize the need to reassess regulatory standards to promote agricultural practices that minimize pesticide residues to better protect the environment and human health.