Dr. Russell Sharp explores research showing that squashes, pumpkins and other cucurbits can absorb persistent hydrophobic pollutants (PCBs, dioxin-like compounds, organochlorine pesticides and furans) because a specific plant protein binds these chemicals and transports them into the fruit.

The episode covers the health and food-safety implications, the potential to breed low-accumulating varieties or use phytoremediation, and why growing these crops hydroponically is a safer alternative to avoid soil-borne, long-lasting pesticides.

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Todd C. Wehner — North Carolina State University

Warren Barham Henderson — North Carolina State University

Sam Jenkins — North Carolina State University

Chris Hernandez — University of New Hampshire

A. F. Yeager — University of New Hampshire

Elwyn Meader — University of New Hampshire

J. Brent Loy — University of New Hampshire

Cecilia E. McGregor — University of Georgia

Pamela D. Roberts — University of Florida

Rebecca Grumet — Michigan State University

Zhangjun Fei — Boyce Thompson Institute

Yiqun Weng — USDA-ARS Vegetable Crops Research Unit (Madison, WI)

Jim Myers — Oregon State University

Chuck Bornt — Cornell Cooperative Extension

Margaret Tuttle McGrath — Cornell University

Michael Mazourek — Cornell University

Jocelyn (Joss) Rose — Cornell University

Neil Mattson — Cornell University

Alan G. Taylor — Cornell University

Elizabeth Maynard — Purdue University

Rosie Lerner — Purdue University

Katie Parker — University of Illinois Extension

Bruce Bugbee — Utah State University

Mark Brand — University of Connecticut

Gerald Berkowitz — University of Connecticut

Vance Whitaker — University of Florida

Craig Schluttenhofer — Central State University

Dan Putnam — University of California, Davis

Brad Hanson — University of California, Davis

Rebecca Sideman — University of New Hampshire

Louise Russell — The James Hutton Institute

David Simpson — NIAB EMR

Howard Griffiths — University of Cambridge

Tracy Lawson — University of Essex

Erik H. Murchie — University of Nottingham

Malcolm Hawkesford — Rothamsted Research

Yiguo Hong — University of Worcester

Owen Atkin — Australian National University

Susanne von Caemmerer — Australian National University

Graham Farquhar — Australian National University

Rana Munns — CSIRO

Robert D. Furbank — CSIRO

Noel Cogan — Agriculture Victoria Research

German Spangenberg — Agriculture Victoria Research

Simone Rochfort — Agriculture Victoria Research

Mathew A. Gilliham — University of Adelaide

Peter Langridge — University of Adelaide

Ute Roessner — University of Melbourne

Mark Lefsrud — McGill University

Adam Dale — University of Guelph

Rowan F. Sage — University of Toronto

Andrew Jamieson — Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Kentville)

Hugh Daubeny — Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Summerland)

Kim Lewers — USDA-ARS

James Luby — University of Minnesota

John R. Clark — University of Arkansas

Patrick Conner — University of Georgia

David Suchoff — North Carolina State University

Jason Griffin — Kansas State University

Zelalem Mersha — Virginia State University