Are wild blueberries pesticide free?

Q. I buy wild blueberries because I assume they are not treated with pesticides. Am I correct about this?

A. Not necessarily. It’s possible that growers may cultivate “wild” blueberries for the commercial market and they may apply pesticides to reduce weeds or insects. (Here, for example, is some information from the Maine Extension for farmers who want to improve the yield of their wild blueberry crops.

For that matter, wild blueberries growing next to a farm could potentially be exposed to pesticides used on other crops.

Wild blueberries that are certified organic should be free of all but organic-approved pesticides. But either way, I don’t think that pesticides on blueberries poses a concern for your health.
According to the pesticide residue calculator at Safe Fruits and Veggies, you could consume over 13,000 servings of blueberries in a day without being exposed to a harmful amount of pesticide reside, even if the blueberries had the highest level of pesticides residue ever measured by the USDA.

8 thoughts on “Are wild blueberries pesticide free?

  1. This is good information to keep in mind when shopping for wild blueberries. Even if they’re treated with pesticides, thorough cleaning goes a long way in making them safer to eat long term.

  2. Blueberries are on the dirty dozen list…so only consume organic…and pesticides go beyond the skin so of the fruit so washing is of limited benefit…anyway…its your choice what goes into you

  3. Hey Boss,

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  4. Blueberries are on the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list of produce to avoid from conventional farming methods. That list is recommended by the American Society of Pediatrics to keep children safe.

    1. 2 different things: Blueberries and Wild Blueberries. The former are on the Dirty Dozen list. The latter are not. EWG gives Wyman’s conventionally grown Wild Blueberries its best score..

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