Eating healthy can be enough of a chore without having to worry about consuming potentially harmful pesticides.
But, new research from Environmental Working Group, a U.S. advocacy group also known as EWG, has found that more than 17 percent of non-organic fresh produce sold to Americans contains the residues of harmful pesticides. Relying on data from the Department of Agriculture, the group has released its annual list of foods they deem “dirty” and “clean” to help consumers make better-informed choices at the grocery store.
“EWG recommends shoppers seeking fresh produce with low pesticide residues buy organic versions of items on EWG’s Dirty Dozen and either organic or conventional versions of produce on the Clean Fifteen,” EWG Senior Scientist Dr. Alexa Friedman said in a statement. “There are also many organic and Clean Fifteen options in the frozen food aisle.”
In total, more than 50 different pesticides were found on samples from each of the Dirty Dozen fruits and vegetables, with the exception of cherries. But, that doesn’t mean people should stop eating the produce.
“Everyone should eat more fruits and vegetables – organic or conventional,” said Friedman. “But for those who want to reduce their exposure to pesticides, the Shopper’s Guide can be a powerful tool to avoid consuming potentially harmful chemicals.”
So, which foods do they advise you avoid of the nearly 50 in their analysis? Here’s what to know...
Spinach
Spinach had more pesticide residue by weight than any other produce the group tested.
Three-quarters of non-organic or conventional samples of the nutrient-rich vegetable are contaminated with a neurotoxic insecticide known as permethrin. It’s often used to ward off mosquitoes, but can overwhelm the nervous system and result in tremors and seizures. Previous research has also found a link between lower-level exposure and neurological effects in children.
Other fungicides have been used on spinach, including mandipropamid, fluopicolide, and ametoctradin, EWG said.
Strawberries
The average American eats approximately eight pounds of strawberries annually.
However, testing has found that the red fruit were the fresh produce item most likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues – even after they are picked and washed.
They may come with dozens of pesticides, including the hormone-disrupting carbendazim and insecticide bifenthrin
Kale, collard, and mustard greens
Some 86 percent of samples of leafy greens had detectable levels of two or more pesticide residues and nearly 60 percent of kale samples were contaminated with residues of a pesticide considered to be a possible carcinogen.
Some 100 different pesticides have been found in leafy greens, including the potential carcinogen DCPA. Last August, the EPA issued an emergency suspension of all uses of DCPA. It can harm the lungs, liver, kidney, and thyroid.
Grapes
Grapes can also contain insecticides and fungicides. This is also true abroad, in India and Europe.
Previously, more than 96 percent of grapes tested positive for pesticide residues.
Peaches
A summer staple, 99 percent of peaches were found to be contaminated in a previous test with 900 samples.
“The pesticides detected on peaches include fungicides, applied to control mold, as well as insecticides that can harm the nervous system of insects, wildlife and people,” the EWG said.
Cherries
The EWG has said in the past that an average of five pesticide residues were found on cherry samples.
That includes iprodione, a fungicide that has been classified as a likely human carcinogen.
Nectarines
The EWG has detected residues in nearly 94 percent of nectarine samples.
One sample contained more than 15 different pesticide residues.
Pears
More than six out of 10 non-organic pears recently tested by the Department of Agriculture have traces of five or more pesticides.
That marks a dramatic jump from earlier tests.
Furthermore, 95 percent of samples had at least one pesticide.
Apples
Diphenylamine is used on apples to prevent them from developing brown or black patches.
The chemical was found in 60 percent of tests on 334 raw non-organic samples.
The EPA contends that diphenylamine treatment does not pose a risk to human health, but there are concerns regarding the presence of cancer-causing chemicals that may form on apples when diphenylamine is combined with nitrogen-containing compounds.
Blackberries
Blackberries are a new addition to the “dirty dozen.”
The first test of the berries found than 93 percent of samples had pesticide residues, for an average of four different pesticides per sample.
The pesticide cypermethrin, classified as a possible human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency, was detected on just over half of conventional blackberry samples.
Blueberries
Blueberries are returning with traces of several toxic pesticides.
They have been found on 90 percent of conventional samples.
The insecticides phosmet and malathion have been found on blueberries. They are toxic to the human nervous system.
Potatoes
Potatoes are also new to the list this year. They’re also the most consumed vegetable in the U.S.
New data, however, has revealed that 90 percent of samples contained chlorpropham, which can cause eye and skin irritation and other more severe problems.
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