After finding DDT in backyard chicken eggs, this led us to discover that some persistent legacy pesticides aren’t monitored by USDA organic standards. So it’s possible that animal products like eggs, butter, yogurt, milk & lunchmeat could have trace amounts of DDT from legacy soil contamination. We simply won’t know unless we test. So Mamavation started testing natural and organic products to ensure safety. You’ve trusted Mamavation to bring you topics like best & worst collagen, best & worst cookware, & best & worst air purifiers, now join us for the DDT test results of ButcherBox organic chicken and grass-fed ground beef.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. 

DDT is Incredibly Toxic & Has Been Banned Since 1972

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is an insecticide and belongs to a class of pesticides known as organochlorides. DDT is a synthetic chemical compound that doesn’t occur in nature and is a colorless, crystalline solid.

DDT has been banned since 1972 because of human health and environmental concerns, especially having been blamed for killing off the iconic American Bald Eagle population. Exposure to DDT was found to thin eggshells so they would crack and kill the baby eagles. Since DDT was banned in 1972, the American Bald Eagle population has sprung back.

Today people are mostly exposed to DDT as an accidental contaminant from soil exposure or from food. Because DDT takes a very long time to break down in the soil, it’s found all over the United States.

DDT can build up in the fatty tissues of animals and accumulate over time. Therefore, this bioaccumulation can show up in animal products that contain high amounts of fat like butter, eggs, milk, meat, and cheese.

And now because the USDA organic standards do not include testing the soil for DDT, I’m testing animal products like butter, eggs, cream, milk, yogurt & meat to ensure my family isn’t exposed anymore to DDT and I’m sharing that information with you here.

I Found DDT in My Soil & Backyard Eggs & It Led Me to Discover That Organic Isn’t Testing Soil Either

Earlier in the summer of 2020, I participated in a study with the Detox Project looking at levels of pesticide residue in American hair.

My results dumbfounded me because there was DDT found in my hair.

That led me to test the soil on my property and my backyard eggs where I technically discovered DDE (a breakdown product of DDT) which after some research I realized came from a walnut grove over 70 years ago. So the DDT they used on my property over 70 years ago was ending up in my hair.

Through research, I discovered that USDA Organic certification does not mandate testing of the soil beforehand to ensure animals like cows are not impacted by DDT breaking down in the soil.

Results of ButcherBox Organic Chicken & Ground Beef for DDT

Using method gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS ) ButcherBox Organic Chicken was tested in a lab certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in October 2020 and the results were all non-detect, meaning if there is DDT in the organic chicken, it’s lower than the detection level of 0.010 ppb.

• Chlorpyrifos < 0.010ppb –Non-Detect
• DDD-pp+DDT-op < 0.010ppb — Non-Detect
• DDE-p,p < 0.010ppb — Non-Detect
• DDT (Sum) * < 0.010ppb — Non-Detect
• DDT-p,p < 0.010ppb — Non-Detect

ButcherBox Grass-fed Ground Beef was tested in a lab certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in October 2020 and the results were all non-detect, meaning if there is DDT in the grass-fed ground beef, it’s lower than the detection level of 0.010 ppb.

• Chlorpyrifos < 0.010ppb –Non-Detect
• DDD-pp+DDT-op < 0.010ppb — Non-Detect
• DDE-p,p < 0.010ppb — Non-Detect
• DDT (Sum) * < 0.010ppb — Non-Detect
• DDT-p,p < 0.010ppb — Non-Detect

This means that DDT was not found in either BucherBox organic chicken or grass-fed ground beef.

Special Offer From ButcherBox For Those Desiring Memberships

ButcherBox is an organic, grass-fed & pastured meat delivery service. They deliver high-quality, hormone- and antibiotic-free cuts of meat directly to your door. ButcherBox offers 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef, free-range organic chicken, heritage breed pork, & wild-caught seafood.

You are able to select up to five different boxes that are delivered to your home monthly with the ability to skip or cancel at any time. It makes quality meat affordable to families because it ends up being about $6 per meal.

Here’s some of the details about meat quality:

• All cattle are humanely raised, 100% grass-fed, and free to roam on grassy pastures throughout their entire lives in Australia
• They eat their natural diet of grass and may receive other grasses or minerals in the winter months. Examples of grasses they eat may include (but are not limited to) annuals, perennials, bluegrass, ryegrass, and sorghum.
• Never given hormones or antibiotics
• All chicken is USDA organic meaning they are fed organic food (grown with no pesticides and non-GMO seeds) and receive no antibiotics or added growth promotants.
• Global Animal Partnership has awarded ButcherBox level 3 animal welfare certification meaning the following:
  1. No cages, no crates, no crowding.
  2. Chickens live in a stationary housing structure, are provided space to express natural behavior and are given access to added enrichments.
  3. Chickens live in an indoor environment with at least two different types of added enrichments as well as natural light
  4. Chickens have seasonal outdoor access, more space requirements (in and out), and outdoor shade and enrichments.
• Their heritage-breed pigs include (but are not limited to) Duroc, Berkshire, and Chester White, with distinguished ancestry which is considered “Old world” genetics for fine marbling and flavor nature intended
• Hogs are either raised on pasture or in hoop barns, which are barns with raised beds and no slatted floors. Conventionally farmed hogs typically have slatted floors in their environments.

Sign up today with ButcherBox and Celebrate Game Day by Getting Ribs, Bacon, & Pulled Pork FREE from January 19th – February 7th*

*Ribs, bacon, & pulled pork-free with purchase. Offer valid for new/canceled members only. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Offer not valid on prior purchases, gift cards, gift certificates. Good only in the continental U.S. Offer valid until 11/16/20 or while supplies last. ButcherBox reserves the right to cancel this offer at any time in its sole discretion and substitute another promotion in its place.