The organization Oasis issued an unsettling warning: “This is not a grape; it is fruit treated with pesticides”. And the figures they cite, taken from the EWG’s Dirty Dozen report, support the statement. Table grapes rank fourth among the fruits with the most chemical residues in the United States, and more than 90% of the samples analyzed tested positive for two or more pesticides.
Among the 18 compounds detected is imidacloprid, banned in the European Union for its lethal effect on bees, along with fludioxonil and pyrimethanil, suspected of disrupting the hormonal system. Boscalid, a possible carcinogen, was found in up to 76% of the samples studied.
Added to this is gibberellic acid, the hormone they use to artificially increase the size of grapes — the same one that, when improperly applied, caused watermelons to explode in China. If you want to reduce your exposure, the recommendation is simple: buy certified organic, prioritize the local market, and wash all fruit with filtered water before eating it.
