In uk.rec.gardening Mike Humberston wrote:
: Tim Tyler wrote:

:A Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce
:http://www.ewg.org/pub/home/Reports/.../Chapter2.html

: American figures of little or no relevance to the UK (unless perhaps you eat
: overpriced, tasteless strawberries imported from the US).

I don't have much specific information relating to UK strawberries.

My impression is that UK-produced strawberries are likely to be safer
than imported ones.

The Friends of the Earth have a report that deals with some of
the fungicides used on strawberries in the UK in 2001:

http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefi...isrupting.html

It identifies carbendazim as one of the most common fungicides used
in the UK.

Regarding its distribution and safety, it says:

``Residues

Since 1995 it has been detected on UK apples, UK and
imported celery, grapes, marmalade, UK and imported pears,
apricots, bananas, imported cucumbers, mixed dried fruit,
retail and 'pick your own' gooseberries, peaches, imported
and 'pick your own' strawberries, imported tomato
products,clementines and UK green beans. In the 1998 MAFF &
industry surveys, residues were detected in several samples
of UK and imported apples, as well as in some samples of
tomatoes, grapes, lemons, lettuce and mango.

Carbendazim has also been detected in processed products
such as fruit based infant food, canned fruit, fruit squash
and fruit juice.

Toxicity

Carbendazim disrupts the production of sperm and damages
testicular development in adult rats. In addition,
carbendazim is a teratogen damaging development of mammals
in the womb. Rats developing in the womb and exposed to
Carbendazim, have been found to lead to deformities such as
lack of eyes and hydrocephalus (“water on the brain”).''

The other fungicide it metions found on UK strawberries
is Vinclozolin.

Regarding distribution and safety, it says:

``Residues

Since 1995, it has been detected on imported celery, grapes,
kiwi fruit, lettuce, pears, sweet peppers and tomatoes, as
well as on UK lettuce, strawberries and pears. In the 1998
surveys by MAFF and the UK Industry (published in 1999) 11,
no residues were found on UK lettuces (it is not approved
for such use in the UK) although illegal use of other
fungicides was found. However Vinclozolin was detected in
some samples of tomatoes (also a non- approved use) and kiwi
fruit.

Toxicity

Vinclozolin is a proven endocrine disrupter, causing anti-
androgenic ('anti-maleness') effects. It does this by
binding to the natural male hormone receptors. Studies on
rats found that exposure of male rats in the womb and
shortly after birth to low doses of vinclozolin lead to a
range of sex organ changes. Young male rats exposed to
vinclozolin showed delayed puberty.''
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|im |yler http://timtyler.org/