Driscoll's Conventional Strawberries
At a glance
Summary
Driscoll's Conventional Strawberries scored 30/100. The fruit itself is nutrient-dense — rich in vitamin C, manganese, folate, and polyphenol antioxidants — but conventional strawberries are the most pesticide-laden item in the produce aisle (EWG Dirty Dozen #1), and independent testing bears that out here. A multi-residue pesticide screen by Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, an EPA-certified facility (2026), detected 12 separate pesticide residues on this sample. Eight are PFAS-class or organofluorine 'forever' compounds that resist breakdown, and two carry EPA cancer classifications: tetraconazole ('likely to be carcinogenic to humans') and pyrimethanil ('possible human carcinogen', found at 310 ppb). Several residues — including indoxacarb, novaluron, fluxapyroxad, and quinoxyfen — exceed the legal limits of the EU, Taiwan, Chile, Russia, or South Korea. Washing reduces but does not eliminate this load; choosing organic strawberries avoids it.
Contaminants 12
Source: Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (EPA-certified), 2026
Pyrimethanil 310 ppb Moderate
The highest-concentration residue on this sample. The EPA classifies pyrimethanil as a Group C 'possible human carcinogen'. A fungicide used to control gray mold on berries.
Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (EPA-certified) multi-residue pesticide screen, 2026: detected at 310 ppb.
THPI (tetrahydrophthalimide) 302 ppb Moderate
A breakdown product (metabolite) of the fungicide captan, not an applied pesticide itself. Its presence at 302 ppb indicates captan was used on the crop.
Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (EPA-certified) multi-residue pesticide screen, 2026: detected at 302 ppb.
Tetraconazole 13 ppb Moderate
Concentration is low, but the level is elevated to reflect hazard: the EPA classifies tetraconazole as 'likely to be carcinogenic to humans'. It is also a PFAS-class organofluorine 'forever' compound that resists environmental breakdown.
Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (EPA-certified) multi-residue pesticide screen, 2026: detected at 13 ppb.
Cyprodinil 125 ppb Low
A broad-spectrum fungicide detected at a moderate concentration. Commonly applied to strawberries to control botrytis.
Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (EPA-certified) multi-residue pesticide screen, 2026: detected at 125 ppb.
Fludioxonil 60 ppb Low
A PFAS-class 'forever pesticide' — an organofluorine fungicide that does not readily break down in the environment or the body.
Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (EPA-certified) multi-residue pesticide screen, 2026: detected at 60 ppb.
Quinoxyfen 45 ppb Low
A fungicide detected at a level that exceeds South Korea's legal limit for this residue. Classified by regulators as persistent and bioaccumulative.
Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (EPA-certified) multi-residue pesticide screen, 2026: detected at 45 ppb.
TFNG 35 ppb Trace
A PFAS-class breakdown product (metabolite) of the insecticide flonicamid — a fluorinated 'forever' compound that resists degradation.
Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (EPA-certified) multi-residue pesticide screen, 2026: detected at 35 ppb.
Flonicamid (sum) 32 ppb Trace
A PFAS-class organofluorine insecticide. The 'sum' reflects the parent compound plus its measured metabolites.
Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (EPA-certified) multi-residue pesticide screen, 2026: detected at 32 ppb (sum of parent and metabolites).
Flupyradifurone 27 ppb Trace
An organofluorine insecticide. Contains fluorine (CHF2) but is not classified as PFAS.
Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (EPA-certified) multi-residue pesticide screen, 2026: detected at 27 ppb.
Fluxapyroxad 26 ppb Trace
An organofluorine fungicide detected at a level that exceeds Russia's legal limit for this residue. Contains fluorine but is not classified as PFAS.
Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (EPA-certified) multi-residue pesticide screen, 2026: detected at 26 ppb.
Indoxacarb 25 ppb Trace
A PFAS-class insecticide detected at a level that exceeds the legal limits of the EU, Taiwan, and Chile.
Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (EPA-certified) multi-residue pesticide screen, 2026: detected at 25 ppb.
Novaluron 19 ppb Trace
A PFAS-class insect growth regulator detected at a level that exceeds the EU's legal limit for this residue.
Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (EPA-certified) multi-residue pesticide screen, 2026: detected at 19 ppb.
Key ingredients 1
StrawberriesGood
Whole strawberries are nutrient-dense — high in vitamin C, manganese, folate, and polyphenol antioxidants (anthocyanins, ellagic acid). The low score reflects the pesticide contamination measured on this conventional sample, not the fruit's inherent nutrition.
See more about Strawberries →Processing
Unprocessed or Minimally Processed Foods
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