Strawberries And Spinach Have The Most Pesticide Residue, 'Dirty Dozen' List Reveals
We usually don't think twice about buying fresh fruits and vegetables from the supermarket, but quickly rinsing off produce won't get rid of dangerous levels of pesticides. Every year, the Environmental Working Group releases a list of the "Dirty Dozen": the worst culprits in American produce in terms of pesticide traces.
Last year, strawberries and apples were the highest offenders. In 2017, strawberries still wear that medal of dishonor, followed by spinach, nectarines, and apples. Overall, 70 percent of the 48 different types of produce samples tested had pesticide residue on them, with 20 different types of pesticides found in the strawberry samples.
"If you don't want to feed your family food contaminated with pesticides, the EWG Shopper's Guide helps you make smart choices, whether you're buying conventional or organic produce," said Sonya Lunder, an EWG senior analyst in a statement. "Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is essential no matter how they're grown, but for the items with the heaviest pesticide loads, we urge shoppers to buy organic. If you can't buy organic, the Shopper's Guide will steer you to conventionally grown produce that is the lowest in pesticides."