July/August 2004 Living Now
The Dirty Dozen (most contaminated types of produce)
According to a report from the Environmental Working Group, an environmental
research organization, the list of produce most contaminated by pesticides has
remained constant since 1993. The report, cited in the New York Times, ranks
pesticide contamination for 46 fruits and vegetables and is based on more than
100,000 laboratory tests conducted from 1992 to 2001 conducted by the Department
of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.
Topping the list of what it calls the "dirty dozen" are apples,
peppers, celery and cherries, followed by imported grapes, nectarines, peaches,
pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach and strawberries.
The 12 considered least contaminated are asparagus, avocados, bananas,
broccoli, cauliflower, corn, kiwi, mangoes, onions, papayas, pineapples and
sweet peas. The good news is that the growing availability of organic produce
makes it easier to avoid most pesticides.
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