The EWG examines vegetables, fruits and greens for toxins every year. This year, there are a lot of things on the “poison list” that we find useful by default.
“How I love and respect all this,” said the hero of the plasticine cartoon “Last year’s snow was falling”. So we do every summer – looking at the first strawberries, young radishes, cherries, mountains of greenery in the markets. Of course, most of all this splendor came to us from abroad. The relevant services, of course, check the imported products for safety. But…
More recently, in May, in St. Petersburg, the mother of a three-year-old boy knocked over the doorsteps of hospitals, trying to figure out what was wrong with her child. It turned out that a terrible rash that completely covered the child’s legs was an allergy to strawberries. More precisely, the toxins contained in it. How so? So you can’t trust anyone?
It seems so. American non-profit tested seasonal vegetables, fruits and herbs for toxicity. The result is a “black list” of 12 items. Everyone is just a pain for a heart hungry for summer treats.
1. Strawberry
More than 98 percent of the samples – that is, virtually all – tested positive for pesticides. In one of the containers, each berry contained 22 varieties of these poisons. One third of all samples – 10 or more types of agricultural toxins.
2. Spinach
97 percent of all samples were poisoned. Most spinach contained permethrin, a neutrotoxin used to poison insects.
3. Nectarines
About 94 percent of all samples tested contained at least two types of pesticides. And in one there were as many as 15 poisonous variations.
4. Apples
90 percent of all apples have not passed the drug test. In 80 cases out of 100, diphenylamine, a pesticide banned for use in Europe, was found in apples.
5. Grapes
96 percent of the samples tested tested positive for pesticides. On average, each grape contains a set of five poisons.
6. Peaches
These are our champions. More than 99 percent of the peaches tested contain pesticide residues. Each contains, on average, a filling of four different poisons.
7. Cherries and cherries
Almost all samples are poisonous. Moreover, a third of the samples found iprodione, a pesticide that is also banned in Europe – it is believed that it can provoke cancer.
8. Pears
Pears have proven to be champions in insecticides and fungicides. More than half of these fruits showed the presence of five or more different poisons.
9. Tomatoes
In one of the imported tomato samples, 15 different toxins were found. On average, reds contain about four poisons.
10. Potatoes
There were a lot of pesticides in potatoes. In most cases, this is chlorprofam, a herbicide. In the permitted doses, it is not dangerous, but if it is exceeded, there may be health consequences.
11. Celery
More than 95 percent of the samples were found to be toxic. Now it’s worth thinking twice about which celery has more benefits for the figure or harm to health.
12. Sweet pepper
Almost 90 percent of peppers are contaminated with pesticides. Researchers make a reservation – the concentration of toxic substances in pepper is less than in other vegetables and fruits. But the pesticides themselves are more toxic.