Nothing says celebration like the pop of a Prosecco cork these days, and many of us have already started stocking up on everyone's favourite fizz for the festive season ahead.
In fact, so popular has the pale gold bubbles become, that, according to an investigation by
MailOnline, the Italian farmers growing the vines are struggling and are having to use more toxic pesticides to keep up with demand.
The last few years have seen the popularity of Prosecco, which is cheaper than Champagne, soar, which is, obviously, all sorts of good news for the farmers in the lush region north of Venice that is the so-called ‘Prosecco Valley’ who are becoming richer by the day.
But it is
not such great news for the rest of us – as chances are very high that your glass of Christmas fizz is most likely to contain
alarming levels of toxic pesticides.
In fact, out of all the best-selling supermarket Proseccos the Mail had tested, laboratory scientists found pesticide residue in every single glass.
This is not all that surprising when you read that according to locals who live near the vineyards in
Veneto, which is the only area where Prosecco can be grown according to Italian law, a "cocktail of pesticides" is now being sprayed on the vines to help keep up with ever-increasing demand.
And that this, as well as making
all of us ingest harmful chemicals when we indulge in a glass of Prosecco, is also endangering the health of anyone living near the vineyards due to the level of toxic pesticides in the air.
According to MailOnline, in the village of Farra di Soligo, six families have been forced out of their homes because of the clouds of pesticides that hang in the air and are sprayed next to nurseries, primary schools, and community centres, with locals seeking medical help for respiratory problems, thyroid disorders and even tumours.
Concerning when you know that scientific studies have linked both cell mutation and Parkinson’s to prolonged pesticide exposure.
And while the level of pesticides found in the bottles MailOnline tested were all found to be below the legal European safety limit, the problem is that we still know very little about any long-term of cocktail effects.
"Many of the pesticides that appear as residues are linked to health issues," says Nick Mole, of the Pesticide Action Network UK to the online newspaper. "The problem is, we simply don’t know what the long-term effects are of consuming even the most minute quantities. The only safe level is zero."
Do YOU love your glass of Prosecco, mamas? Will this news make you drink less of it or do you reckon a bit of toxic residue here and there is nothing much to worry about? Let us know in the comments or tweet us at @Herfamilydotie
