‘Forever Chemicals’ Present in 95 Percent of Strawberries

Strawberries, grapes, and many other fruits and vegetables have been found to contain chemicals derived from pesticides that campaigners say can take centuries to break down in the environment. Known as “forever chemicals,” per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) were identified in a range of foods in 2022 by government tests which have been analysed by the Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK). There are now more than 10,000 variations of PFAs, which are used in hundreds of products from waterproof cosmetics and stain repellents, to carpeting and non-stick cookware. PAN UK analysed government test results and found PFAs had been located in 95 percent of samples of strawberries, 61 percent of grape samples, and 38 percent of tomatoes....