San Jose Mercury News, Aleta Watson
Published July 16, 2008
When budgets are tight, the choice between organic and conventional produce becomes more difficult for many families. Even shoppers who are convinced organic foods are the safer choice can find themselves buying conventional produce instead in a bid to control their relentlessly growing grocery bills.
To help consumers make informed decisions, the Organic Center has published a pocket guide to the conventionally grown produce that poses the greatest risk of residual pesticide. Topping the non-profit's list are domestically grown cranberries, nectarines, peaches, strawberries, pears, green beans, sweet bell pepper, celery, cucumbers and potatoes. Among the imported products, the organization lists grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, strawberries, sweet bell peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, celery and tomatoes.
The guide is similar to one produced earlier by the Environmental Working Group based on USDA and FDA tests for pesticides on produce. That list includes cherries and spinach among the conventional produce most likely to contain high levels of pesticide.
The lowest incidences of pesticide, according to EWG, are found in conventionally grown onions, avocados, pineapples, mangoes, asparagus, kiwis, bananas, cabbage, broccoli and eggplant.
For a copy of the Organic Center guide, go to
www.organic-center.org. The Environmental Working Group guide is available at
FoodNews.org.
