Organic Strawberries + Pesticides
Strawberries are one of the dirty dozen, one of the 12 fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residue. Strawberries are irresistible to pests, especially soil-borne pathogens. Most pesticide comes before the crop is even planted in the form of soil fumigants. These pesticides can drift into schools. Then in 1987 the first organic strawberry were certified and offered into the market. Organic strawberries are more nutritious and flavorful than those that are grown through chemical-laden farming. Organic strawberries have a longer shelf life, much higher antioxidant activity, more dry matter and higher concentrations of ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds than non-organic strawberries. Currently organic strawberries make up 9 % of the market and newer procedures are being used that diminishes soil-borne pathogens and pests. Farmers spread a deep layer of a high carbonaceous material like rice bran or mustard-seed meal over beds, cover them with black plastic, and water them with drip lines. The high carbonaceous materials decomposition creates an environment where the harmful soil pathogens cannot survive but beneficial ones do.
