Produce and Pesticides - The Dirty Dozen

[Flash]

Fresh, organically grown, pesticide free produce is probably your first choice for eating healthy. But, it can be challenging to find in your local supermarket. Even if you have a local farmers market, co-op, or organic store to shop at, it can be expensive. Up to 50% more expensive than "regular" produce.

If you are wondering which organic fruits and vegetables are "worth it" (hey, don't you just wash and peel them anyway?), the Environmental Working Group has recently published their sixth guide to Pesticide levels on produce. Following standard preparation practices (washing, peeling, coring, etc.) and testing methods, pesticide levels remain high on some produce, and not others.

From the Environmental Working Group:
The philosophy behind the guide is simple: give consumers the information they need to make choices to reduce pesticides in their diets. In this spirit, the Guide does not present a complex assessment of pesticide risks, but instead simply reflects the overall load of pesticides found on commonly eaten fruits and vegetables. This approach best captures the uncertainty of the risks of pesticide exposure and the value judgments involved in the choice to buy food with less pesticides.

The produce listed in the Guide was chosen after an analysis of USDA food consumption data from 1994-1996. The 47 selected were those reported eaten on at least one tenth of one percent of all "eating days" in the survey and with a minimum of 100 pesticide test results from the years 2000 to 2007. An eating day is one day of food consumption reported to USDA by one individual, some of whom were followed for three days.

1 (worst) Peach (highest pesticide load)
2 Apple
3 Sweet Bell Pepper
4 Celery
5 Nectarine
6 Strawberries
7 Cherries
8 Kale
9 Lettuce
10 Grapes - Imported
11 Carrot
12 Pear (this ends the dirty dozen)
13 Collard Greens
14 Spinach
15 Potato
16 Green Beans
17 Summer Squash
18 Peppers
19 Cucumber
20 Raspberries
21 Grapes - Domestic
22 Plum
23 Orange
24 Cauliflower
25 Tangerine
26 Mushrooms
27 Banana
28 Winter Squash
29 Cantaloupe
30 Cranberries
31 Honeydew Melon
32 Grapefruit
33 Sweet Potato (here we begin the clean 15)
34 Tomato
35 Broccoli
36 Watermelon
37 Papaya
38 Eggplant
39 Cabbage
40 Kiwi
41 Sweet Peas
42 Asparagus
43 Mango
44 Pineapple
45 Sweet Corn - Frozen
46 Avocado
47 (best) Onion(lowest pesticide load)

Further data from the Environmental Working Group:
An EWG simulation of thousands of consumers eating high and low pesticide diets shows that people can lower their pesticide exposure by almost 80 percent by avoiding the top twelve most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated instead. Eating the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables will expose a person to about 10 pesticides per day, on average. Eating the 15 least contaminated will expose a person to less than 2 pesticides per day. Less dramatic comparisons will produce less dramatic reductions, but without doubt using the Guide provides people with a way to make choices that lower pesticide exposure in the diet.

Most Contaminated: THE DIRTY DOZEN

Consistent with two previous EWG investigations, fruits topped the list of the consistently most contaminated fruits and vegetables, with seven of the 12 most contaminated foods. The seven were peaches leading the list, then apples, nectarines and strawberries, cherries, and imported grapes, and pears. Among these seven fruits:

• Nectarines had the highest percentage of samples test positive for pesticides (97.3 percent), followed by peaches (96.7 percent) and apples (94.1 percent).
• Peaches had the highest likelihood of multiple pesticides on a single sample - 87.0 percent had two or more pesticide residues — followed by nectarines (85.3 percent) and apples (82.3 percent).
• Peaches and apples had the most pesticides detected on a single sample, with nine pesticides on a single sample, followed by strawberries and imported grapes where eight pesticides were found on a single sample of each fruit.
• Peaches had the most pesticides overall, with some combination of up to 53 pesticides found on the samples tested, followed by apples with 50 pesticides and strawberries with 38.

Sweet bell peppers, celery, kale, lettuce, and carrots are the vegetables most likely to expose consumers to pesticides. Among these five vegetables:

• Celery had the highest of percentage of samples test positive for pesticides (94.1 percent), followed by sweet bell peppers (81.5 percent) and carrots (82.3 percent).
• Celery also had the highest likelihood of multiple pesticides on a single vegetable (79.8 percent of samples), followed by sweet bell peppers (62.2 percent) and kale (53.1 percent).
• Sweet bell peppers had the most pesticides detected on a single sample (11 found on one sample), followed by kale (10 found on one sample), then lettuce and celery (both with nine).
• Sweet bell peppers were the vegetable with the most pesticides overall, with 64, followed by lettuce with 57 and carrots with 40.

Least Contaminated: THE CLEAN FIFTEEN

The vegetables least likely to have pesticides on them are onions, sweet corn, asparagus, sweet peas, cabbage, eggplant, broccoli, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.

• Over half of the tomatoes (53.1 percent), broccoli (65.2 percent), eggplant (75.4 percent), cabbage (82.1 percent), and sweet pea (77.1 percent) samples had no detectable pesticides. Among the other three vegetables on the least-contaminated list (asparagus, sweet corn, and onions), there were no detectable residues on 90 percent or more of the samples.
• Multiple pesticide residues are extremely rare on any of these least contaminated vegetables. Tomatoes had the highest likelihood, with a 13.5 percent chance of more than one pesticide when ready to eat. Onions and corn both had the lowest chance with zero samples containing more than one pesticide.
• The greatest number of pesticides detected on a single sample of any of these low-pesticide vegetables was five (as compared to 11 found on sweet bell peppers, the vegetable with the most residues on a single sample).
• Broccoli had the most pesticides found on a single type of vegetable, with up to 28 pesticides, but far fewer than the most contaminated vegetable, sweet bell peppers, on which 64 were found.

The fruits least likely to have pesticide residues on them are avocados, pineapples, mangoes, kiwi, papayas, watermelon and grapefruit.

• Fewer than 10 percent of pineapple, mango, and avocado samples had detectable pesticides on them, and fewer than one percent of samples had more than one pesticide residue.
• Though 54.5 percent of grapefruit had detectable pesticides, multiple residues are less common, with only 17.5 percent of samples containing more than one residue. Watermelon had residues on 28.1 percent of samples, and just 9.6 percent had multiple pesticide residues.

The produce listed in the Guide was chosen after an analysis of USDA food consumption data from 1994-1996. The 47 selected were those reported eaten on at least one tenth of one percent of all "eating days" in the survey and with a minimum of 100 pesticide test results from the years 2000 to 2007. An eating day is one day of food consumption reported to USDA by one individual, some of whom were followed for three days.

To get the downloadable full-color version of the list, go to www.foodnews.org.

[OHeather]

I'm so glad that broccoli is down towards the bottom! We eat so much of it, that it would be so costly to do 100% organic on that!

I can't wait for my garden next year! I want home-grown fresh veggies again!!!

[mamid4]

OMG, We eat a lot of fruits and veggies from the dirty dozen. I love apples and peaches. Thank you so much for the info.

[meredith1629]

Thanks for this handy reference!

[kristen.c]

I'm bumping this because the information has changed and been updated with new data from the EWG.

[jujubee]

I love the new data showing the clean 15.

I'm always sad to see my sweet bell peppers at the top of the dirty list. I can't find organic ones where I shop. :(

[jonjaktez]

WOW I'm shocked about the dirty dozen. We love peaches and apples. It's nice to see Kiwi in the clean 15. I have started buying fresh broccli for us to eat raw (of course) and steaming it also.


So what do you do if you eat the dirty dozen? Do you keep eating it but less of it or what?

[kristen.c]

Originally Posted by jonjaktez

WOW I'm shocked about the dirty dozen. We love peaches and apples. It's nice to see Kiwi in the clean 15. I have started buying fresh broccli for us to eat raw (of course) and steaming it also.


So what do you do if you eat the dirty dozen? Do you keep eating it but less of it or what?

If something is on the dirty dozen, I always try to buy the organic varieties of those foods. We're lucky enough to have a good natural foods market where we have access to them. If not, try to buy locally grown or USA grown- things like grapes that are imported from Chile or Mexico always have more pesticides than their US equivalents.

[wyo-helpmeet]

Originally Posted by jujubee

I love the new data showing the clean 15.

I'm always sad to see my sweet bell peppers at the top of the dirty list. I can't find organic ones where I shop. :(

Have you talked to your produce manager at your store? We are a small town (so small, the nearest stuffmart is 1.5h away). Needless to say, our grocery store has minimal, esp. in the way of organics. However, citrus is one of my BIGGEST priorities in organics, and they happily order cases of organic produce for me. Actually anything the Kroger stores would carry (as in in their system) they order for me. I have City Market here. I also know that if you buy by cases, they offer a 10% discount. I believe that applies to cases that are IN store as well. However, not sure if it applies to produce

It wouldn't hurt to ask, the worst they can do is say no, then you can contact corporate if they say no & ask corporate about their ordering cases for customers policy. Especially in this economy, I've found a lot more places are willing to negotiate to keep us happy, whereas a couple of years ago, they went out of their way to say no to everything.

[jonjaktez]

Originally Posted by kristen.c

If something is on the dirty dozen, I always try to buy the organic varieties of those foods. We're lucky enough to have a good natural foods market where we have access to them. If not, try to buy locally grown or USA grown- things like grapes that are imported from Chile or Mexico always have more pesticides than their US equivalents.

Ok if the fruit/vegy is a dirty dozen, try and buy organic or local. If the fruit/vegy is a clean 15, you can buy non-organic. If it's in between, either organic or non-organic is fine?

[OHeather]

Originally Posted by jonjaktez

WOW I'm shocked about the dirty dozen. We love peaches and apples. It's nice to see Kiwi in the clean 15. I have started buying fresh broccli for us to eat raw (of course) and steaming it also.


So what do you do if you eat the dirty dozen? Do you keep eating it but less of it or what?

Originally Posted by jonjaktez

Ok if the fruit/vegy is a dirty dozen, try and buy organic or local. If the fruit/vegy is a clean 15, you can buy non-organic. If it's in between, either organic or non-organic is fine?

Sounds like you have it figured out. There's also a pocket guide that you can print out if that's easier for you than remembering what's on the list. It is best to avoid the dirty dozen, since those fruit and veggies have the most pesticides used on them or residual pesticides. Organic food is worth the extra price. You just don't see it right there in front of you. The things you may eventually notice is the number of doc visits go down and the number of illness go down. You feel better and healthier.

wyo-helpmeet does have a good point about talking to the produce personnel. Most places are happy to special order items. If they know that you are going to be coming in weekly for peppers, then they may be more likely to just continually stock them. I have the same problem with finding organic peppers too, so I make sure that I also plant them in my garden in the summer also.

The thing to remember though is to do the best that you can do. Don't get mad at yourself because you bought conventional apples one week. Just take it in stride and try to get them the next week.

[Anneron]

Anyone know where does garlic rank? maybe at the middle? Hope it's not close to the dirty dozen...

[wyo-helpmeet]

I would imagine that garlic would rank with onion, but don't quote me on that!!

I also paid more attention to this list tonight & want to remind you that the majority of corn these days is GENETICALLY MODIFIED!!!!! If it doesn't specifically say ORGANIC or NON-GMO, it is most likely GM!!!

[dovehand]

michaela, thanks for bringing it up...yes, most corn (not a vegetable but a grain) in the US is GM (also soy, wheat is close behind) and sadly, much of the livestock, farm-raised fish, and eggs we consume are fed grains that are GM. We need to be thinking of the entire food chain as consumers. We are what we eat.