Watermelon is not a commonly allergenic food, is not known to contain measurable amounts of oxalates or purines and is also not included in the Environmental Working Group's 2012 report "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides" as one of the 12 foods most frequently containing pesticide residues.
During the past decade, non-organic watermelons grown in part of China became the topic of widespread controversy in the popular press following the use of a synthetic growth stimulator called forchlorfenuron in their cultivation. A combination of heavy rainfall and potential overuse of the growth stimulator actually caused many watermelons on farms in Jiangsu Province to burst open, drawing media attention to this practice. While we are not aware of any data on widespread use of synthetic growth stimulators in the production of non-organic watermelon, we have seen one study predicting residues of forchlorfenuron in the range of 1-5 ppb in watermelons raised with the use of this synthetic growth stimulator. If you are seeking to lower your risk of contamination with all synthetic additives in watermelon and other foods, we recommend purchase of certified organic watermelon, since synthetic growth stimulators and other synthetic additives are prohibited in organic food production.
By Source : http://www.whfoods.com/
By Source : http://www.whfoods.com/
