Beloved berry brand contains pesticides at levels that are banned in other countries, group says
Driscoll's strawberries tested positive for eight PFAS-related pesticides and four additional chemicals banned in multiple countries, raising alarm among health experts about accumulation in the human body over time.
Mason Reed 
One of the nation’s most prominent berry brands is under fire following a recent investigation that uncovered concerning levels of pesticides in its strawberries. 205focus.com reports that new findings are raising alarms regarding the presence of chemicals that are strictly prohibited in several other countries.
Investigation Findings
Consumer advocacy group Mamavation conducted the investigation after purchasing and testing two boxes of Driscoll’s strawberries from a Southern California grocery store. The laboratory analysis identified residues of more than a dozen pesticide chemicals, including substances classified as PFAS, or “forever chemicals.”
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website, these per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds are widely used, long-lasting substances that have been linked to various adverse health effects in humans.
International Discrepancies
To ensure accuracy, Mamavation utilized an EPA-certified lab to screen the fruit for over 500 different pesticides. The results were stark: the strawberries contained 12 pesticides that are currently banned in Taiwan, the European Union, Russia, Chile, and Korea. Notably, eight of these identified substances fall under the category of “forever chemicals.”
While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration maintains monitoring protocols for such substances, the United States currently lacks federal legal limits for PFAS in food products.
Expert Concerns
Dr. Craig Downs, executive director of the Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, spearheaded the scientific review of the testing data. Dr. Downs noted that fluorinated pesticides represent an escalating source of PFAS contamination within our food supply and the environment.
“These fluorinated pesticides also act like PFAS because they will accumulate in our bodies over the long-term, are associated with cancer risks, reproductive diseases, developmental diseases in children, and cause immune suppression,” Downs stated. “It would be smart to try to completely avoid being exposed to them.”
While the EPA confirms that scientific research suggests exposure to PFAS can result in negative health outcomes, studies are ongoing to fully understand the long-term impacts of low-level exposure, particularly regarding the development of children.
