Berry supplier responds to consumer group report and says its production remains in ‘full compliance’ with US food safety laws
Berry company Driscoll’s has said its production is in “full compliance” with US food safety regulations, after a report in the US suggested some strawberries sold under the brand might contain traces of so-called ‘forever pesticides’.
In a report published on its website, California-based consumer rights group Mamavation said it had tested organic and conventional strawberries from Driscoll’s for more than 500 types of pesticides and found PFAS-laden pesticides in conventional strawberries.
In response, the supplier told the Daily Mail: “Driscoll’s takes seriously and closely follows scientific best practices and regulatory guidance on research related to food-safety risks.”
It continued: “Driscoll’s and our independent grower partners operate in full compliance with applicable US federal, state and local pesticide and food-safety regulations, including frequent oversight by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.”
And it added: “All Driscoll’s growers also undergo third-party audits by independent auditors to help provide transparency and ensure they are using safe agricultural practices at each stage of production.”
Mamavation said it had sent two boxes of Driscoll’s strawberries from a grocery store in southern California to its EPA-certified laboratory, and requested testing for more than 500 pesticides on 4 May 2026.
“The results were a bit shocking,” it claimed. “According to our laboratory, Driscoll’s conventional strawberries contained residues of 12 different pesticides at levels prohibited in the European Union, Taiwan, Chile, Korea, and Russia.”
It noted: “Eight of those pesticides are considered PFAS ‘forever chemicals’, meaning they are extremely persistent and highly toxic. These pesticides are also known as ‘forever pesticides’.”
