Whistleblower Lawsuit Alleges Driscoll's Berries Exceeded Canadian Pesticide Standards
A former employee alleges that about half of Driscoll's berry exports to Canada between 2022 and 2024 contained pesticide levels exceeding Canadian Food Inspection Agency standards. The CFIA confirmed the elevated levels, while experts say typical consumption is unlikely to cause immediate harm.
A whistleblower lawsuit filed by David Harada, a former employee of California-based Driscoll's, alleges that approximately half of the company's berry exports to Canada between 2022 and 2024 contained pesticide levels exceeding standards set by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). According to the lawsuit, millions of pounds of berries with chemical levels above CFIA guidelines were imported during that period.
The CFIA has confirmed that higher-than-permissible levels of pesticides were found on Driscoll's berries. The three chemicals identified on the fruit were bifenthrin, iprodione, and captan. In response to the allegations, Driscoll's stated that it has amended its controls to comply with Canadian standards.
Experts have weighed in on the potential health implications for consumers. Environmental toxicologist Daniel Green noted that a person would likely need to eat roughly 19 kilograms of berries in a short period of time to experience any adverse effects from the chemical residue. However, Maria Corradini, an associate professor in the University of Guelph's food sciences department, cautioned that washing berries may not do much to remove the chemicals because of how soft the fruit is and the tiny crevices in their skin.
In addition to the whistleblower case, Driscoll's is facing a separate class-action lawsuit filed earlier this year. Six plaintiffs living in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Illinois are accusing the company of consumer fraud and deceptive practices regarding PFAS levels on its strawberries.