Fruits grown in urban areas are proving not only largely free of pollutants, but more nutritious than their retail counterparts. Researchers analyzed 166 samples of apples, peaches, cherries, and other urban fruits and herbs, along with commercial varieties of the same foods. The efforts grew out of concern for high levels of lead in blood of workers harvesting and processing urban fruits. Their findings suggest that eating urban fruit is not a significant source of lead exposure. “This is a story with a good ending,” says Wellesley College professor Dan Brabander, who has previously studied lead exposure risk in urban gardens. “Not much lead in these urban-harvested fruits.”
Fruits grown in urban areas more nutritious than retail counterparts
More of Today's Solutions
All city buildings in Chicago are now powered by renewable energy
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Chicago entered 2024 with a landmark achievement: every one of its 411 municipal buildings, from City Hall to ...
Read MoreHow unique leopard calls could impact conservation
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Leopards, renowned for their stealth and solitary nature, have always been challenging to study. However, groundbreaking research revealed that ...
Read MoreThese solar-powered barges can scoop up 50 tons of plastic from rivers each day
While removing the plastic waste that currently contaminates the ocean today will be crucial for protecting marine ecosystems, it is arguably more important that ...
Read MoreWashington’s first human compost company is open for business
Washington passed a law in 2019 allowing citizens to compost themselves after death for a more sustainable burial process. Fast forward a year later ...
Read More
