How to Choose Strawberries and Avoid Pesticides: A Guide

For some time the supermarket counters have been filled with strawberries, but which ones to buy? How to know which strawberries to avoid due to the amount of pesticides?

Strawberries are a much loved and appreciated fruit during the summer, thanks to their sweet taste and their limited availability. Some people use them to prepare sweets, juices or jams. But which strawberries to choose at the supermarket to limit the consumption of pesticides?

The strawberry family

Strawberries belong to the family of Rosaceae, which also includes other fruit plants such as apples, pears and peaches. There are several varieties of strawberries, including wild strawberries, cultivated strawberries. Wild strawberries are smaller and taste better more intense compared to cultivated strawberries, which are larger and sweeter.

Not all strawberries are red. In addition to red strawberries, there are several varieties of strawberries that can have a different color. For example, some varieties of strawberries are pink, yellow or white.

The pink strawberriesalso called “alpine strawberries”, are small and sweet and have a taste similar to red strawberries. The yellow strawberries, on the other hand, are rarer and are characterized by a delicate and sweet flavour. Finally, white strawberries are among the rarest and have a taste sweet and delicate similar to that of pears.

It is important to note that, regardless of color, all strawberry varieties contain the same health-promoting nutrients, such as vitamin C, potassium and fiber.

The red strawberries in particular, they have this color thanks to the presence of natural pigments called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are present in many plants and flowers and are responsible for the colours red, purple and blue. In strawberries, anthocyanins are concentrated in the flesh and outer surface of the fruit, giving strawberries their characteristic bright red color.

Anthocyanins also play an important role in health. They are known to have antioxidant properties, which can help protect the body from free radical damage and have a positive effect on the health of the heart, nervous system and immune system. Additionally, some studies have suggested that anthocyanins may have a protective effect against some types of cancer.

Strawberries and pesticides, which areas to avoid

A German test called Eye-Test, conducted checks on 14 varieties of strawberries present in the fruit and vegetable counters of a supermarket. The test results raised concern, as some types of organic strawberries were found to have poor quality. Second Eye-Testthe strawberry varieties from the Spanish province of Huelva should be avoidedbecause large quantities of pesticides are used in that area and there is no adequate environmental protection.

Strawberry cultivation – wineandfoodtour.it

In particular, the pesticide used for Spanish strawberries is l’ethrimolwhich would in theory be banned in the European Union, and strawberries also feature the bupirimatoconsidered carcinogenic. Also, it spinosad, another pesticide, present in small quantities in organic strawberries, would be highly toxic to bees.

Among the safe strawberry varieties, which have not been grown with pesticides, are Spain strawberries from Lidl, organic strawberries from Edeka and Rewe, Magallanes Fresh Organic strawberries and Frutania strawberries for Aldi Nord. However, the cultivation of strawberries in Spain, mainly imported, causes serious damage to the environment, as most are grown in Andalusia, where water is scarce and ditches are often dug to find it, to the detriment of the trees Coto de Donana National Park.

This is a serious problem, as around six million birds live in the area, as reported by the WWF. For this reason, in 2021, the European Court of Justice has sanctioned Spain.

Ethrimol, bupirimate and spinosad, pesticides in strawberries

Ethrimol, bupirimato e spinosad they are all pesticides, i.e. chemicals used to protect crops from insects and plant diseases. L’ethrimol is a fungicide that is used to prevent and treat fungal diseases of plants, while the bupirimato is an insecticide that is used to eliminate insects that damage crops.

Lo spinosad it is instead a natural insecticide, produced by some species of bacteria of the genus Saccharopolysporawhich is mainly used to check the insect infestations in organic crops. However, although spinosad is a relatively less toxic insecticide than other chemicals, it can be highly toxic to bees and pose a health risk.