Organics

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OCTOBER 3, 2006

2:16 PM

 

CONTACT: Environmental Working Group

(202) 667-6982

 

 

When Should You Buy Organic?

Free Guide Ranks Pesticide Contamination of Fruits and

Vegetables

 

WASHINGTON - October 4 - If you're concerned about

food safety, you probably already look for organic

produce at the supermarket. But if you can't always

buy organic, you can still dramatically lower your

family's exposure to chemical pesticides by choosing

the least pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables

with the Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce.

 

The Shopper's Guide is a handy, wallet-size card that

lists the " Dirty Dozen " most contaminated fruits and

vegetables, as well as the 12 most " Consistently

Clean " items. It's available for free download at

www.foodnews.org. The newest edition of the Guide

comes in both English and Spanish versions for the

first time.

 

The Shopper's Guide was developed by Environmental

Working Group (EWG), based on the results of nearly

43,000 tests for pesticides on produce by the

Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug

Administration between 2000 and 2004. EWG's computer

analysis found that consumers could cut their

pesticide exposure by almost 90 percent by avoiding

the 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 15 pesticides a day, on

average. Eating the 12 least contaminated will expose

a person to fewer than two pesticides a day.

 

" Federal produce tests tell us that some fruits and

vegetables are so likely to be contaminated with

pesticides that you should always buy them organic, "

said Richard Wiles, EWG's senior vice president.

" Others are so consistently clean that you can eat

them with less concern. With the Shopper's Guide in

your pocket, it's easy to tell which is which. "

 

EWG's analysis of federal testing data found:

 

Peaches and apples topped the Dirty Dozen list. Almost

97 percent of peaches tested positive for pesticides,

and almost 87 percent had two or more pesticide

residues. About 92 percent of apples tested positive,

and 79 percent had two or more pesticides. The rest of

the Dirty Dozen include sweet bell peppers, celery,

nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported

grapes, spinach, lettuce, and potatoes.

Onions, avocados, and sweet corn headed the

Consistently Clean list. For all three foods, more

than 90 percent of the samples tested had no

detectable pesticide residues. Others on the

Consistently Clean list include pineapples, mango,

asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, bananas, cabbage,

broccoli, and papaya.

There is growing scientific consensus that small doses

of pesticides can adversely affect people, especially

during vulnerable periods of fetal development and

childhood when exposures can have long lasting

effects. Because the toxic effects of pesticides are

worrisome, not well understood, or in some cases

completely unstudied, shoppers are wise to minimize

exposure to pesticides whenever possible.

 

While washing and rinsing fresh produce can reduce

levels of some pesticides, it does not eliminate them.

Peeling also reduces exposures, but valuable nutrients

often go down the drain with the peel. The best option

is to eat a varied diet, wash all produce, and choose

organic when possible to reduce exposure to

potentially harmful chemicals.

 

Although the Shopper's Guide only measures pesticide

residues on produce, buying organic also makes sense

if you're concerned about bacterial contamination.

Organic farmers meet all the sanitation standards

required of conventional growers and, on, top of that,

meet tight restrictions on the use of compost and

other organic material that do not apply to

conventional fruit and vegetable growers.

 

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