No. 1 on the "dirtiest fruits and vegetables list"! Is it still edible to eat this fruit that is on the market in winter?

Winter is the season for sweet strawberries. Have you eaten them this winter?

Strawberries are not only attractive in appearance and sweet and sour in taste, but also have high nutritional value and are deeply loved by people.

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But there is always a rumor that strawberries are the "dirtiest fruit". Are strawberries really dirty? 9 questions about strawberries, all answered at once!

01

Are strawberries the “dirtiest fruits and vegetables”?

There has been a "ranking of the dirtiest fruits" circulating on the Internet, and unfortunately, strawberries have topped the list for seven consecutive years because of the high levels of pesticide residues.

Are strawberries really the dirtiest fruit?

"Strawberries are the dirtiest" comes from a list released by an organization called the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

It has released a "Dirty Dozen" list every year since 2015. This year's full name should be EWG'S 2022 "Dirty Dozen" list. Strawberries have indeed always been at the top of the list.

Many people think that the name "United States" or "Environmental Working Group" is a high-end government agency, but it is completely the opposite - it is just a private environmental protection organization that publishes this list every year.

But Americans themselves do not recognize this list.

Because the basis for the so-called "dirtiest" ranking given in this list is the largest number of detectable pesticide types in each strawberry, rather than the most serious pesticide residue exceeding the standard - that is, pesticides were only detected, but not exceeded the standard.

In fact, although most fruits and vegetables will be found to contain pesticide residues, and more than one type, the content of most pesticide residues is far below the limit standard and does not exceed the limit set by the US Department of Agriculture.

For this reason, both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. FDA believe that the safety of agricultural products on the market is not a cause for concern.

As for our domestic strawberries, the relevant national departments have also issued complete minimum standards for pesticide residues, and fruits and vegetables must undergo strict testing before they can be put on the market.

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According to the latest data, the pass rate of agricultural product inspections in China was 97.7% in 2022[1].

It can be assumed that as long as the vegetables and fruits are purchased through formal channels, the possibility of excessive pesticide residues is low.

Generally speaking, it is rare for strawberries to contain excessive pesticide residues, so it is a false accusation to call it the "dirtiest".

02

Are a lot of pesticides used in the strawberry growing process?

It is true that pesticides are used in the process of strawberry cultivation. Not only strawberries, but almost all the vegetables and fruits we eat now are used.

Because many fruits and vegetables need to use pesticides to prevent and control diseases and pests during the planting process.

This is the same as when people need to take medicine when they are sick.

However, this does not mean that you can abuse it and use it as much as you want.

In fact, my country has clear national standards for which pesticides cannot be used, which pesticides can be used, and how much to use - detailing the types that can be used and dosage requirements.

As long as it is used reasonably, there is no need to worry about how harmful it is.

Because the dose determines the toxicity. The presence of pesticide residues does not necessarily mean that it is harmful to eat. The key is to see how much residue there is and how much we eat.

As long as it is within a safe range, it will not cause harm to the human body.

Generally speaking, there are not many pesticide residues in strawberries, and the residue amount is very low, considering that "strawberry freedom" is not so easy.

People don't eat a lot, so there's no need to worry too much about the pesticide residues causing harm to your health. There's no problem with eating it normally.

03

The strawberries are big and the cores are made of growth enhancers?

Many people say that strawberries that are large in size and have hard cores are grown with growth enhancers. In fact, this statement is not reliable.

The size of strawberries has nothing to do with the use of medications and hormones, but rather with the variety and management.

Some breeds are naturally larger, and some are naturally smaller, just like some people are tall and some are small.

Strawberries with hard cores may be picked before they are fully ripe, or they may be a variety with a hard core. It may also be due to environmental influences such as temperature and light.

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In addition, there will be no safety issues even if bulking agents are used.

Growth regulator is a kind of plant growth regulator, which is widely used on fruits and vegetables. According to current research results, growth regulator is still very safe.

Moreover, growth enhancers have a strong self-limiting effect. Using a small amount can promote fruit growth, but using too much will be detrimental to fruit growth. Therefore, they are generally not used too much.

04

Are white and green strawberries genetically modified?

In fact, this kind of strawberry is just a small episode in the growth process of strawberries due to the influence of weather, temperature, etc., just like some people will develop spots and freckles due to some external conditions during their growth process.

It is not genetically modified and does not pose any safety issues, so you can eat it with confidence.

05

Strawberries are so sweet, are they injected with sweeteners?

The possibility of this happening is very slim.

Because injections can easily damage strawberries, and strawberries are very delicate and can easily be damaged during transportation and storage.

Moreover, it is difficult to evenly distribute the injected sweeteners, which is not worth the effort for the merchants.

06

Is it better for strawberry seeds to be protruding or sunken?

Strawberry seeds are the fruits of strawberries, which we usually call "seeds".

The red strawberries we eat are formed by the enlargement of the receptacle, which we call berries.

The protrusion or depression of strawberry seeds is mainly due to different varieties, and there is no distinction between good and bad.

07

What causes strawberries to have irregular shapes?

There are usually two reasons for irregular fruits: one is that the temperature is low during flower bud differentiation, resulting in poor differentiation and deformed fruits;

The second is that when flowering and pollination occur, the temperature is too high or too low, and the bees do not pollinate well or in time, resulting in irregular fruits.

Apart from affecting the appearance, it does not affect consumption.

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08

Why do some strawberries rot as soon as they are left?

Some can be left for a long time without any problem?

This has a lot to do with the strawberry variety, picking time, and storage method.

Some varieties of strawberries are not easily dented and can be stored for a longer time.

Some strawberries are picked early and are not fully ripe, so they are relatively hard, easier to transport and store, and can be stored for a longer time.

If the strawberries are fully ripe, they will go bad soon.

In addition, the storage method also has an impact. Some people use plastic bags or foam pads when storing strawberries to prevent bumps, while others just put them in a plastic bag. The storage period will definitely be different.

09

How to wash strawberries when you get home?

As a kind of berry, the skin of strawberry gives people a pitiful feeling, and many people are afraid to rub it hard, and they are worried about not being able to wash it clean. How to wash it?

In fact, no matter what kind of fruit it is, if you rub and rinse it with clean running water for more than 30 seconds before eating, soak it in clean water for 5-10 minutes, and then rinse it again after soaking, the risk will be very low.

As for whether to add detergent, baking soda, salt or other things to the washing water, it is actually not necessary. On the contrary, it will make the taste of the strawberries worse and unpalatable.

References:

[1] The overall pass rate of the first national agricultural product quality and safety random inspection in 2022 was 97.7% http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2022-05/06/content_5688881.htm

Author: Ruan Guangfeng, Director of the Science and Technology Department of the Kexin Food and Nutrition Information Exchange Center

Review｜Han Hongwei, Researcher at the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center

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