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Beware These “Dirty Dozen” of Fruits and Vegetables With Pesticide Residues

Strawberries and spinach were number 1 and 2 respectively on the "Dirty Dozen" list of produce with highest pesticide residues. (flickr)
Strawberries and spinach were number 1 and 2, respectively, on the “Dirty Dozen” list of produce with highest pesticide residues. (flickr)

If you like pears or potatoes, you may be disappointed to learn they have made the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) list of “Dirty Dozen” Produce.

Each year, EWG releases its list of conventionally grown produce with the most pesticide residues. They have a list of the top 12, or “Dirty Dozen” and a full list of the top 51 produce fruits and vegetables that have high loads of pesticide residues.

EWG analyzes the tests done by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). According to the USDA, about 178 different pesticides and pesticide breakdown products are found on thousands of produce samples analyzed. These pesticide residues stay on the fruits and vegetables even after you wash them.

We know that eating fruits and vegetables is healthy. However, according to EWG, they recommend buying organic for fruits and vegetables that have highest loads of pesticide residues.

The case is even more important for young children. Doctors and scientists believe young children may be harmed from exposure to these pesticide residues. The pesticide and chemical agriculture industries don’t think the level is high enough to cause adverse effects.

EWG’s list of the “Dirty Dozen” focuses on produce with the highest loads of pesticide residues.

On the 2017 “Dirty Dozen” list are: strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, peaches, celery, grapes, pears, cherries, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers and potatoes.

  1. Strawberries
  2. Spinach
  3. Nectarines
  4. Apples
  5. Peaches
  6. Pears
  7. Cherries
  8. Grapes
  9. Celery
  10. Tomatoes
  11. Sweet bell peppers
  12. Potatoes
Pears made it into the 2017 dubious list of "Dirty Dozen" produce that had high pesticide residues.
Pears made it into the 2017 dubious list of “Dirty Dozen” produce that had high pesticide residues.

Pears and potatoes beat out cherry tomatoes and cucumbers from the 2016 list.

Here are other main findings by EWG for 2017:

– Nearly all samples of strawberries, spinach, peaches, nectarines, cherries and apples tested positive for residue of at least one pesticide
– The most contaminated sample of strawberries had 20 different pesticides
– Spinach samples had an average of twice as much pesticide residue by weight than any other crop

Feeling down that your favorite fruit or vegetable is on the 2017 “Dirty Dozen” list? Don’t fret. EWG also released their “Clean Fifteen” list too. Check it out.

Resources:

The 2017 Dirty Dozen
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/press.php

Full Lists of Fruits and Vegetables With Pesticide Residues
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/list.php

List of “Clean Fifteen”
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean_fifteen_list.php

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