Strawberries are pretty terrible. Well, I mean they’re good but the process involved in their production is awful.
They’re actually at the top of the Dirty Dozen list, which showcases some of the very worst our agricultural industry has to offer.
In putting the list together, the Environmental Working Group found that 98% of all strawberries tested came up positive for at least one pesticide residue.
But pesticide is probably the least of your concerns in light of this horrifying news.
In strawberry production, a chemical known as chloropicrin is used and while you may think it’s relatively harmless due to its name, which sounds similar to ‘chlorophyl,’ it’s actually incredibly deadly. So deadly, in fact, that it was used as a chemical warfare agent in WWI.
It causes vomiting, bronchitis, pulmonary edema and fatal lung injury. It’s so powerful that it can get through gas masks.
The EPA found that it causes cancer in rats and mice.
The military has de-authorized its use in warfare but the very chemically resourceful agricultural industry has been using it since 2008, when it was re-approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for use in agriculture.
The chemicals, as reported by Natural News, cause incredible harm to wildlife as well as residents and workers located near to strawberry fields.
A 2013 Berkeley study found that people living near fields where chemicals like chloropicrin are used give birth to underweight children who have smaller heads than normal.
The scary thing is that chloropicrin is just one of the deadly chemicals being used in strawberry production. The video below details some more pretty horrific stuff about the fruit we all love so much.
The good news? You can grow your own strawberries.
In the past, we included strawberries on our list of 18 things you can grow at home in containers.
Growing your own strawberries is very easy if you live in zone 5 or warmer. If you live in a colder environment, you still can, you’ll just need to grow them in pots instead.
Check out this post for more information on growing your own strawberries, as well as a variety of other fruits and vegetables!
[h/t: www.livingtraditionally.com]
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