Almost all the pesticide-like chemicals we eat in our food come from plants themselves, not from man-made products.
Scientific Claim
99.99% of pesticides in the American diet by weight are naturally occurring chemicals produced by plants for defense.
Original Statement
“We calculate that 99.99% (by weight) of the pesticides in the American diet are chemicals that plants produce to defend themselves.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design cannot support claim
Appropriate Language Strength
definitive
Can make definitive causal claims
Assessment Explanation
The claim is a direct quote and describes a calculated proportion. No causal or associative language is used. Although methodology is not described, the claim is purely descriptive and does not overreach.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Unknown Title
The study says that almost all the pesticide-like chemicals we eat come from plants themselves—not from human-made chemicals—and that’s true by weight, so the claim is right.