Mamavation Finds PFAS-Laden Pesticides in Driscoll’s Strawberries

Mamavation examined natural and standard strawberries from Driscoll’s for 500+ kinds of pesticides at our EPA-certified laboratory and located PFAS-laden pesticides, also called “forever pesticides,” in typical strawberries. What does this imply, and what ought to your loved ones do when purchasing to make sure your personal security? You’ve trusted Mamavation to convey you different investigations like sourdough breads tested for glyphosate, cooking oils tested for phthalatesand safest teas tested for PFAS, “forever chemicals.” Now be part of us for our newest investigation on Driscoll’s strawberries and pesticide residue.

Disclosure: Scientific evaluate was carried out by Dr. Craig DownsExecutive Director of Haereticus Environmental Laboratory. Donations have been offered by Environmental Health News and Mamavation neighborhood members. Note that Mamavation has solely “spot-checked” the business and thus we can’t make predictions about manufacturers and merchandise that we’ve got not examined. Products and manufacturing aids can change with out discover so purchaser beware. This publish comprises affiliate hyperlinks, with some to Amazon, which implies Mamavation will obtain a portion of these gross sales and we’ll use that to pay ourselves again for the testing. You also can give a tax-deductible donation to our shopper research here via Environmental Health Sciences. Thank you!

Mamavation’s Laboratory Finds PFAS-laden Pesticides in Driscoll’s Strawberries

Mamavation despatched two packing containers of Driscoll’s strawberries from a grocery retailer in Southern California to our EPA-certified laboratory, requesting testing for 500+ pesticides on Monday, May 4th, 2026. The outcomes have been a bit stunning. According to our laboratory, Driscoll’s typical strawberries contained residues of 12 totally different pesticides at prohibited ranges in the European Union, Taiwan, Chile, Korea & Russia. 8 of these pesticides are thought-about PFAS “forever chemicals,” which means they’re extraordinarily persistent and extremely poisonous. These pesticides are also called “forever pesticides.”

Driscoll’s Conventional Strawberries — 12 pesticides discovered

PFAS-Laden Pesticides (aka “Forever Pesticides”) Found on Driscoll’s Conventional Strawberries

• Flonicamid (sum): 32 ppb
• Fludioxonil: 60ppb
• Flupyradifurone: 27 ppb
• Fluxapyroxad: 26 ppb (restrict additionally exceeds Russian requirements)
• Indoxacarb: 25 ppb (limits additionally exceed EU, Taiwan & Chile requirements)
• Novaluron: 19 ppb (limits additionally exceed EU requirements)
• Tetraconazole: 13 ppb
• TFNG: 35ppb

Other Types of Pesticides Found on Driscoll’s Conventional Strawberries

• Cyprodinil: 125ppb
• Pyrimethanil: 310ppb
• Quinoxyfen: 45 ppb (restrict additionally exceeds Korean requirements)
• Tetrahydrophthalimide (THPI): 302 ppb

Driscoll’s USDA Organic Strawberries

Dr. Craig Downs, Executive Director of Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, had this to say after his evaluate: “Fluorinated pesticides are a growing source of PFAS contamination in the environment and on and in our foods. There is debate with the US EPA if single fluorinated pesticides are truly Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), but many of the fluorinated pesticides’ metabolites are long-lived to the point they are considered “Forever Chemicals.” These fluorinated pesticides additionally act like PFAS as a result of they are going to accumulate in our our bodies over the long-term, are related to most cancers dangers, reproductive illnesses, developmental illnesses in youngsters, and trigger immune suppression. “It could be sensible to attempt to fully keep away from being uncovered to them.”

Recommendations From Mamavation Advisors

Mamavation advisors advocate you persist with natural strawberries if you wish to decrease the quantity of pesticides and PFAS you devour when buying produce. 37% of non-organic produce samples examined by the State of California had traces of PFAS pesticides.

If you’re involved concerning the air pollution brought on by close by pesticide use, the very best factor you are able to do is purchase a water filter for your kitchen tap and an air purifier for your home. You can management what occurs inside your house excess of exterior your house.

Here’s our advisable water filter manufacturers primarily based on PFAS filtering:

Here’s our advisable air purifiers:

PFAS “Forever Chemicals” Have Problematic Health Effects

PFAS “forever chemicals” are problematic for human well being and the surroundings. They are thought-about ubiquitous, persistent, and poisonous. Many of those PFAS chemical substances can final for years or many years in our our bodies. Therefore, it is crucial to cut back the quantity of PFAS you’re uncovered to from meals, toiletand shopper merchandise. Mamavation is devoted to serving to you try this when you find yourself looking for strawberries.

Here are a number of the well being results of various PFAS “forever chemicals.”

It’s additionally very clear primarily based on biomonitoring proof from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) that PFAS are in all Americans. Therefore, these exposures can hurt most Americans.

EWG Finds 14 Million lbs. of PFAS “Forever Chemicals” Sprayed on Non-Organic Farmland in California

California produces a PFAS “forever chemical” drawback. Researchers at The Environmental Working Group (EWG) combed via official information from California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation to establish what number of tens of millions of kilos of pesticides have been sprayed on crops in California. After studying all the pesticidestogether with herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides, that are extensively used in the state’s best farmland, they have been capable of create an interactive map.

EWG then reviewed information from the California Pesticide Residue Monitoring Report to seek out which produce was most affected by PFAS contamination in keeping with California’s personal testing. They discovered that almost 40% of non-organic fruits and vegetables grown in California have been contaminated with PFAS.

Strawberries are simply an instance of this drawback. In reality, strawberries contained 10 particular person PFAS pesticides, extra selection than another crop. We discovered 8 of them in our personal testing, which has simply been launched.

California Legislation to Ban PFAS in Pesticides Needs Your Attention

Right now, the California Assembly’s management will determine if AB 1603a invoice that bans PFAS in pesticides, will transfer ahead. This invoice will put a cease to the dumping of PFAS pesticides on crops and fields and cut back PFAS contamination of California-grown produce, resembling strawberries.

How You Can Help

The whole California Assembly wants to listen to about your help of AB 1603 in order to go this necessary piece of laws this yr.

All California assembly members have to obtain cellphone calls ASAP, urging them to help AB 1603 and finish PFAS use in pesticides for good!

So please contact your Assemblymember and urge them to help AB 1603 and finish PFAS pesticides.

You can discover your Assemblymember here.