Which Fruit and Vegetables Are Most Contaminated with Pesticides?

There's an inviting apple in the fruit bowl. It's only natural to pick it up and take a bite. However, if it's not organic, by failing to wash an apple, you might be unnecessarily exposing yourself to extra pesticide residues. A report published in the last week by the US Environmental Working Group highlighted apples as the number one offender when it comes to pesticide residues. Celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and grapes were also in the top five. These results were compiled after testing 28,000 samples of the 48 most commonly consumed fruit and vegetables; this analysis was conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Agriculture. As well as the so called "Dirty Dozen" that were identified by this work, those named the "Clean Fifteen" included commonly used onions, sweetcorn, peas, mushrooms and cabbage, though tropical fruits such as pineapple, kiwis, mangos and papaya also came out well.

Admittedly, this research was carried out on the other side of the Atlantic and relates to US produce. However, figures put together by the UK's Pesticide Action Network based on data available from the Government's Pesticide Residues Committee, showed that apples were again the top fruit for contamination; potatoes were ahead of them, which were also listed amongst the Dirty Dozen in the US work. Pears, grapes, strawberries, green beans, tomatoes and cucumbers were additionally shown to be most likely to be contaminated with pesticide residues in the UK.

Beyond the environmental impact of pesticides - soil, water and air pollution occurs, which is potentially hazardous to wildlife - there is also evidence that they are damaging to human health. It is farm workers and those people living close to fields where the crops are sprayed who are at most risk of health problems associated with pesticide use. In these instances, pesticide exposure has been linked to the development of various forms of cancer and damage to the nervous system - though this does depend on the type of pesticide and level of exposure.  There is also a concern that if we consume pesticides on a daily basis from our food, this may also pose a threat to our long-term health. However, although there is as yet very little evidence to demonstrate this is the case, some consumers would rather not take the risk.

It's not practical for many people to switch over to organic produce, but for say those items with the greatest residues, opting for organic versions of these makes most sense. Alternatively, consider growing your own without the use of chemicals; potatoes are very easy to grow and work well in tubs, so even if you don't have any available soil in your garden or yard, they're still a viable crop.  Washing and peeling does remove some of the pesticides present on non-organic produce, but some are found within the flesh, though cooking does help to lower levels of these. If you have children, you might want to be more mindful when it comes to pesticide residues, as they are thought to have a greater impact on smaller bodies and may be processed differently due to a difference in children's metabolism.

However, don't get too alarmed; 70% of the food we eat contains no pesticide residues and there are legal levels set for the maximum amount of residue that can be contained in our food, which is below those considered to pose a risk. There's certainly no reason why we should stop eating as much fruit and vegetables and indeed many people still need to up their intake. It may however be wise to consider the choices you make with regards to the fruit and veg you choose.

Photo by Christopher Thomas via Wikimedia Commons