News Coverage
Group lists 12 fruits, vegetables with chemicals
Published October 20, 2003
WASHINGTON - Apples, peppers, celery and cherries top a list compiled by an environmental research organization of the 12 fruits and vegetables it says are most contaminated by pesticides.
The report from the Environmental Working Group ranks pesticide contamination for 46 fruits and vegetables and is based on over 100,000 lab tests conducted between 1992 and 2001 by the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, with additional testing done on organic produce by the state of California. The top 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables also include imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach and strawberries.
The 12 least contaminated are asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, kiwi, mangoes, onions, papayas, pineapples and sweet peas.
The group recommends buying organic produce in place of the most contaminated conventional produce, but says that that conventional produce is acceptable for the least contaminated list.