The worst supermarket fruit and veg for pesticides
Common supermarket fruit found containing at least 16 different pesticides
- Pesticide Action Network UK analysed government data, revealing 12 food items are at risk from a "cocktail effect" where multiple pesticides increase toxicity.
- Grapes were identified as the worst affected, with one sample containing at least 16 different pesticide residues and 90 per cent of samples having multiple pesticides.
- Other foods, including grapefruit, limes, bananas, and chilli peppers, were also found to contain multiple pesticide residues, forming a "dirty dozen" list.
- The analysis found 123 different chemicals across 17 types of produce, including 42 pesticides linked to cancer and 21 known to interfere with hormone systems.
- Pan UK argues that government monitoring, which deems most samples safe, does not account for the combined effect of pesticide mixtures or chemicals from packaging and water.