Are YOU unknowingly eating ‘forever chemicals’? Shock study reveals up to 95% of fruit and vegetables sold in the UK contains toxic substances thought to cause cancer and damage the heart

Strawberries top a list of fruits and vegetables in UK supermarkets that contain potentially dangerous pesticide toxins.

Man-made substances called PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they may never leave the body once they are consumed.

They are linked to serious health problems, such as cancer, high cholesterol, reduced kidney function, thyroid disease, low fertility, a suppressed immune system, and low birth weight in babies.

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They are also feared to affect growth, learning and behavioral development in babies and children.

A government testing program checked fresh produce on sale in the UK, some of which had been imported from abroad.

It found that 95 percent of the strawberries contained PFAS.

Other foods containing toxins were grapes (61 percent), cherries (56 percent), spinach (42 percent), tomatoes (38 percent) and peaches (38 percent).

They were also found in smaller percentages of other common products, such as two percent of the potatoes and apples analyzed by the Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Foods.

PFAS chemicals are used in pesticides and household products such as nonstick pans, clothing, cosmetics, food packaging, and fire extinguisher foam.

Nick Mole, of Pesticide Action Network UK (Pan UK), said: “Given the growing body of evidence linking PFAS to serious diseases such as cancer, it is deeply worrying that UK consumers are left with no choice but to ingest these chemicals.” some of which may remain in their bodies for a long time into the future.

“Given that some plastic food packaging is also contaminated with PFAS, and that PFAS are present in UK drinking water and soil, we urgently need to develop a better understanding of the health risks associated with ingesting these ‘permanent chemicals’ and do everything possible to exclude them from the food chain.’

PFAS, which stands for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is a family of more than 10,000 chemicals.

Some may never degrade once they are in the environment or in our bodies.

Traces of these chemicals are found in most water sources.

Small amounts are considered safe, although a separate study yesterday by the University of New South Wales found that 69 per cent of global groundwater samples exceeded safe limits.

There are currently 25 PFAS pesticides used in the UK, six of which are classed as “highly hazardous”.

Pan UK is urging the government to ban them and help farmers find safer alternatives.

Last year, the World Health Organization declared PFOA, a type of PFAS, a category one human carcinogen.

There is particular concern about childhood exposure to toxins, as they have been linked to developmental delays, behavioral changes, and accelerated puberty.

Dr Shubhi Sharma, from the CHEM Trust charity, said: “PFAS are a group of entirely man-made chemicals that did not exist on the planet a century ago and have now contaminated every corner.

“No one consented to be exposed to these harmful chemicals, we have not had the option to opt out, and now we have to live with this toxic legacy for decades to come.”

“The least we can do is stop adding to this toxic burden by banning the use of PFAS.”