The Worst Supermarket Fruit and Veg for Pesticides

New tests have revealed the fruit and vegetables most affected by potentially cancer-linked pesticide mixtures.

Using data released by the government last month, the Pesticide Action Network (Pan) UK found 12 food items were at risk of a “cocktail effect”, meaning several pesticides mixed together increase the toxicity level of the chemicals.

While the government’s health and safety food monitoring programmes concluded that the vast majority of samples tested contained a safe level of pesticides, Pan UK said the report only tested individual pesticides and not a mix.

Grapes were found to be the worst of all the food groups, with one sample containing the residue of at least 16 different pesticides. At least 90 per cent of the 108 grape samples tested contained multiple pesticides.

A sample of sultana grapes from Turkey included man-made PFA “forever” chemicals, which are toxins that do not break down in the body naturally and can accumulate, leading to cancer and environmental damage.