14-Year-Old Wins Award for Inventing Produce Pesticide Detector

Ever wonder if your food at the grocery store contains pesticides? Well, thanks to AI, you soon can. Fourteen-year-old Sirish Subash from Snellville, Georgia, recently won the prestigious title of “America’s Top Young Scientist” and a $25,000 prize for inventing a device to detect pesticide residues on produce. His creation, called PestiSCAND, uses a combination of spectrophotometry and AI to scan and identify pesticide levels on fruits and vegetables. The device provides results with over 85% accuracy, helping consumers avoid potentially harmful contaminants.

Inspired by his mother’s reminders to wash fruit, Subash discovered that standard washing often doesn’t remove all pesticides. His device, which is affordable at around $20, detects specific light wavelengths related to pesticide residues. Over 12,000 tests on produce such as apples and strawberries showcased the device’s impressive efficacy.

Subash’s journey to creating PestiSCAND included four months of mentorship with a 3M scientist, where he refined his prototype. As he looks to further develop his invention, he hopes to bring it to market before heading to college, ideally MIT, where he plans to study physics and engineering.