If you’re curious to know what chemicals may be lingering on your fruits and veges, here’s a snapshot. To avoid these substances, consider going organic.

PESTICIDE RESIDUES ON FOODS

Data collected from EPA, USDA, whatsinmyfood.org, and Toxnet

(For reasons unknown Glyphosate, 2,4-D, Enlist Duo, Atrazine, Dicamba and other notable pesticides were not included in these testing samples conducted by the USDA). Find data at www.whatsinmyfood.org.

Grapes Pesticide	56 Pesticides[i] Type	Pesticide Effects & Damages
Imidacloprid	Neonicotinoid	Neurotoxin, kills bees
Boscalid	Fungicide	Possible carcinogen, effects liver and thyroid[ii]
Pyraclostrobin	Fungicide	Harms brain[iii], toxic to bees, hives & health of bee larvae,[iv] linked with increasing bee death to Nosema fungus[v]
Myclobutanil	Fungicide	Harms brain, reproductive toxin, prevents iodine absorption, harms thyroid[vi]
Trifloxystrobin	Fungicide	Quinone Outside Inhibitor, implicated in declining bee health, magnifies impact of other pesticides, contaminates water115
Tebuconazole	Fungicide	Possible carcinogen, harms thyroid,116 endocrine system
Fenhexamid	Fungicide	May be toxic to honeybee larvae,[vii] can promote ovarian cell proliferation, makes ovarian cancer health condition worse[viii]
Apples Pesticide	47 Pesticides[ix] Type	Pesticide Effects & Damages
Diphenylamine	Fungicide	Banned in EU, applied to apples post harvest in U.S., coverts to carcinogen nitrosamines,[x] toxic to aquatic animals[xi]
Thiabendazole	Fungicide	Carcinogen, reproductive toxin119
Pyrimethanil	Fungicide	Carcinogen, bee toxin, hormone disruptor119
Phosmet	Organophosphate	Possible Carcinogen, Neurotoxin, Bee toxin 119
Acetamiprid	Neonicotinoid	Bee toxin119, toxic to birds, earthworms, bioaccumulative[xii]
Imidacloprid	Neonicotinoid	Bee toxin, endocrine disruptor, evidence of cancer risk, notable water contaminant particularly in urban areas[xiii]
Carbendazim	Fungicide	Possilbe carcinogen, bee toxin, hormone disruptor119
Thiacloprid	Neonicotinoid	Probable carcinogen, bee toxin119
Bell Peppers Pesticide	53 Pesticides[xiv] Type	Pesticide Effects & Damages
Pyraclostrobin	Fungicide	Harms brain113 , toxic to bees114,115
Boscalid	Fungicide	Thyroid toxin112, possible carcinogen
Imidacloprid	Neonicotinoid	Bee toxin, endocrine disruptor, evidence of cancer risk, notable water contaminant particularly in urban areas123
Thiamethoxam	Neonicotinoid	Bee toxin124, kidney liver damage, reproductive effects[xv]
Acetamiprid	Neonicotinoid	Bee toxin119, toxic to birds, earthworms, bioaccumulative 122
Myclobutanil	Fungicide	Harms brain, reproductive toxin, harms thyroid116
Chlorpyrifos	insecticide	Neurotoxin, toxic to children & bees, endocrine disruptor124
Bifenthrin	pyrethroid	Possible carcinogen, reproductive toxin, endocrine disruptor124
Strawberries Pesticide	45 Pesticides[xvi] Type	Pesticide Effects & Damages126
Captan	Fungicide	Carcinogen, causes birth defects
Pyrimethanil	Fungicide	Probable carcinogen, bee toxin, endocrine disruptor
Carbendazim	Fungicide	Possible carcinogen, hormone toxin, bee toxin
Bifenthrin	Insecticide	Possible carcinogen, reproductive toxin, hormones, bee toxin
Malathion	Organophosphate	Neurotoxin, hormone and bee toxin, possible carcinogen
CORN Pesticide	15 Pesticides[xvii] Type	Pesticide Effects & Damages127
Malathion	Organophosphate	Neurotoxin, endocrine disruptor, probable carcinogen
Chlorpyrifos	Organophosphate	Neurotoxin, endocrine disruptor, reproductive toxin, bee toxin
Permethrin	Insecticide	Probable carcinogen, endocrine disruptor, bee toxin
Pirimiphos methyl	Insecticide	Neurotoxin, Bee toxin
CELERY Pesticide	64 Pesticides[xviii] Type	Pesticide Effects & Damages
Acephate	Organophosphate	Hormone disruptor, neurotoxin, possible carcinogen
Linuron	Herbicide	Hormone disruptor, reproductive toxin, possible carcinogen
Propiconazole	Fungicide	Thyroid toxin, possible carcinogen, reproductive and bee toxin
Malathion	Organophosphate	Possible carcinogen, neurotoxin, hormone & bee toxin
WHEAT Pesticide	16 Pesticides[xix] Type	Pesticide Effects & Damages
Malathion	Organophosphate	Neurotoxin, hormone & bee toxin, possible carcinogen
Chlorpyrifos methyl	Organophosphate	Neurotoxin, endocrine disruptor, bee toxin
Methoxychlor	Organochlorine	Hormone disruptor, bee toxin
Piperonyl butoxide	Insecticide	Endocrine disruptor, suspected carcinogen, liver, nerve toxin
Pirimiphos methyl	Insecticide	Neurotoxin, bee toxin
Trifluralin	Herbicide	Endocrine disruptor, suspected carcinogen, toxic to bees
PEACHES Pesticide	62 Pesticides[xx] Type	Pesticide Effects & Damages
O-Phenylphenol	Fungicide	Carcinogen, reproductive toxin, hormone disruptor
Iprodione	Fungicide	Carcinogen, hormone disruptor
Phosmet	Organophosphate	Neurotoxin, possible carcinogen, bee toxin
Azinphos methyl	Organophosphate	Neurotoxin, bee toxin, hormone disruptor
Chlorpyrifos	Organophosphate	Neurotoxin, endocrine disruptor, bee toxin, toxic to children[xxi]
KALE Pesticide	55 Pesticides[xxii] Type	Pesticide Effects & Damages
DDE	Organochlorine	Carcinogen, hormone disruptor, reproductive toxin,
Dieldrin	Organochlorine	Carcinogen, hormone disruptor, bee toxin
CILANTRO Pesticide	68 Pesticides[xxiii] Type	Pesticide Effects & Damages
Chlorpyrifos	Organophosphate	Neurotoxin, hormone disruptor, bee toxin
DDT	Organochlorine	Reproductive toxin, endocrine disruptor, banned in US
DDE	Organochlorine	Carcinogen, endocrine disruptor, reproductive toxin
CANNIBAS Pesticide	? Pesticides Type	Pesticide Effects & Damages
Myclobutanil	Fungicide	Harms brain and thyroid116, heated converts to cyanide[xxiv]
Imidacloprid	Neonicotinoid	Neurotoxin, toxic to bees[xxv]

Neonicotinoids in Baby Foods: “The FDA reported neonics were among the most frequently found pesticide residues in infant and toddler foods. Unlike most other pesticides, neonics cannot be washed off of food prior to consumption.” [xxvi]

[i] Grapes, What’s On My Food, Pesticide Action Network, http://www.whatsinmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=GRG

[ii] Boscalid, Federal Register, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/03/18/2015-06141/boscalid-pesticide-tolerances

[iii] Exposure to Common Pesticides May Affect Human Brain; Effects Similar To Autism and Alzheimer’s, Susan Scutti, April 1, 2016, https://www.medicaldaily.com/fungicides-human-brain-autism-spectrum-disorder-alzheimers-disease-380352

[iv] Fungicide Contamination Reduces Beneficial Fungi in Bee Bread Based on An Area-Wide Field Study in Honey Bee, Apis mellifera, Colonies, Jay A. Yoder, Andrew J. Jajack, Andrew E. Rosselot, Terrance J. Smith, Mary Clare Yerke, Diana Sammataro, Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Helath, Part A, 76:597-600, 2013, Taylor and Francis, LLC, https://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/57094/PDF

[v] Disturbing New Evidence About What Common Pesticides Can Do to Brains, Tom Philpott, April 13, 2016, Mother Jones, https://www.motherjones.com/food/2016/04/what-are-these-widely-used-fungicides-doing-us/

[vi] Thyroid Disrupting Chemicals and Brain Development: An Update, Bilal B Mughal, Jean-Baptiste Fini, Barbara A Demeneix, Endocrine Connections, April, 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5890081/

[vii] Toxicity of Pesticides to Pollinators and Beneficials, University of Massachussetts Amherst, Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment, https://ag.umass.edu/fruit/ne-small-fruit-management-guide/appendices-resource-material-listings-conversion-tables-0

[viii] The Role of Fenhexamid on the Proliferation of Ovarian Cancer BG-1 Cells, Anxing Fei1, Handong Fu3, Hong Jiang, Liping Wei1, Hongxia Zhang, Anqiong Fei, Yan Zhang, Tiantian Zou, Shuzhen Gao, Lin Li, Hong Jiang, Min Zhou, Hui Xing, Yanli Huang, International Journal Clinical and Experimental Pathology, April 15, 2018; 11(4);2025-2031, http://www.ijcep.com/files/ijcep0059707.pdf

 

[ix] What’s on my Food, Apples, Pesticide Action Network, http://www.whatsinmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=AP

[x] Chemical Banned in Europe is Probably On Your Apple, John Upton, Grist Magazine, April 25, 2014, https://grist.org/food/chemical-banned-in-europe-is-probably-on-your-apple/

[xi] Diphenylamine Safety Data Sheet according to the Federal Register, Lab Chem, Jan 7, 2015, http://www.labchem.com/tools/msds/msds/LC13610.pdf

[xii] Acetamiprid,  Pesticide Properties Database, University of Hertfordshire, https://sitem.herts.ac.uk/aeru/ppdb/en/Reports/11.htm

[xiii] NRDC to EPA: Red Flags on Imidacloprid Health Risks, Jennifer Sass, Natural Resources Defense Council, November 29, 2017, https://www.nrdc.org/experts/jennifer-sass/nrdc-epa-red-flags-imidacloprid-health-risks

[xiv] What’s On My Food, Sweet Bell Peppers, Pesticide Action Network, http://www.whatsinmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=PP

[xv] Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management, Thiamethoxam, Beyond Pesticides, https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/pesticide-gateway?pesticideid=289

[xvi] What’s On My Food, Strawberries, Pesticide Action Network, http://www.whatsinmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=ST

[xvii] What’s On My Food, Corn, Pesticide Action Network, http://www.whatsinmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=CO

[xviii] What’s On My Food, Potatoes, Pesticide Action Network, http://www.whatsinmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=PO

[xix] What’s on My Food, Wheat, Pesticide Action Network, http://www.whatsinmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=WF

[xx] What’s on my Food, Peaches, Pesticide Action Network, http://www.whatsinmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=PC

[xxi] Chlorpyrifos, The Toxic Pesticide Harming Our Children and Environment, Earth Justice, https://earthjustice.org/features/what-you-need-to-know-about-chlorpyrifos

[xxii] What’s On My Food, Kale, Pesticide Action Network, http://www.whatsinmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=GK

[xxiii] What’s On My Food, Cilantro, Pesticide Action Network, http://www.whatsinmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=CL

[xxiv] Pesticides in Marijuana Pose a Growing Problem for Cannabis Consumers, Alicia Lozano, Oct 27, 2016, LA Weekly, https://www.laweekly.com/news/pesticides-in-marijuana-pose-a-growing-problem-for-cannabis-consumers-7526808

[xxv] EPA: This Pesticide is Killing Bees. (Pssst,Iit’s Also In Some of Your Weed),Ricardo Baca, The Cannabist Denver Post Jan 8, 2016, https://www.thecannabist.co/2016/01/08/imidacloprid-pesticide-chemical-bees-marijuana-pot/46262/

[xxvi] https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/EHP515/ Effects of Neonicotinoid Exposure on Human Health, A Systematic Review Cimino AM, Boyles AL, Thayer KA, Perry MJ, 2017. Environmental Health Perspectives 125: 155-162