Lab results have left health enthusiasts reeling: organic strawberries, long touted as a healthy and natural snack, are teeming with chemical compounds whose names would make a seasoned chemist stumble.
Researchers used state-of-the-art equipment to analyze the berries and found a staggering array of compounds, including methyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate and the elusive 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone.
"We were shocked by the sheer number and complexity of the chemicals we found," said lead researcher Dr. Saffron Mulchwhistle. "These are not your everyday household chemicals. Several of them don't even have names a person could say out loud at a farmers market."
What do these compounds do? Some have been linked to sudden cravings for shortcake. Others are suspected of making whipped cream disappear.
"Just because something is organic doesn't mean it's safe," Dr. Mulchwhistle said. "These chemicals are naturally occurring. That doesn't make them any less potent."
The team's most alarming finding came last. The furanone, the most dangerous-sounding compound on the list, is the reason strawberries smell like strawberries. Dr. Mulchwhistle has recommended that consumers eat them anyway, but try to pronounce one of the names first.
