Summer fruits are a major business for Israeli growers, who employ modern techniques which allow them to produce large quantities for local consumption. In the local market, fruits are a big hit among Israeli consumers during the summer months. However, some of the fruits reaching consumers contain high levels of chemicals, requiring caution and increased supervision.
According to Emun HaTsibur, an Israeli consumer advocacy group, the use of pesticides and chemicals in agriculture is the primary risk factor in the consumption of fruits and vegetables in Israel. “We are aware of many issues in this area in Israel, ranging from oversight issues over chemical use, to the use of chemicals which are banned in other parts of the world, and even to false claims about organic produce or biological pesticides.”
On the other hand, spraying of crops is often necessary to deal with pests and maintain high quality. Food technologist and consultant to the Israeli food industry, Ronit Davidovich, explains that “without effective use of pesticides, modern agriculture wouldn’t have the ability to supply affordable and plentiful produce to consumers. Through monitoring and inspecting, it is possible to produce agricultural products with negligible levels of chemicals in them and which stand up to international standards.”
Despite the presence of standards, experts encourage caution, placing an emphasis on buying fruits from reputed stores and seeking to buy fruits which were grown responsibly, along with washing of fruit before consumption and consuming a wide variety of fruits to minimize overexposure to any particular substance.
In regards to which fruits in Israeli supermarkets contain the most chemicals, the EWG, an American environmental organization specializing in advocacy around toxic chemicals, publishes a list of the most contaminated fruits and vegetables, as well as the cleanest. “This list is valid to most western countries, and it generally holds for Israel as well” says Dana Shteierman, a naturopathic and nutrition expert from Tel Aviv University. “The situation in Israel is slightly worse than it is in other countries because many of the fruits being grown here aren’t naturally suitable to the Israeli climate. Great efforts are being made to fall in line with the western world in this area by setting good standards.”
The fruits with the highest levels of chemicals found at the point of sale were apples, table grapes, pears, and figs; relatively high concentrations were also found in peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries, and apricots.
The cleanest fruits were found to be mango, pineapple, watermelon, persimmon, litchi, kiwi, passion fruit, and melon.
