Fruits and vegetables are known to protect against heart disease and cancer. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and health-promoting phytochemicals. However, many fruits and vegetables test positive for pesticide residues, with about one-third of them showing up with multiple residues. Research reveals that prolonged exposure to pesticide residues may increase the risk of various cancers and neurological problems (such as Parkinson's disease), and impair the immune system. Almost 40% of the fruit and 12% ofthe vegetables consumed by Americans last year were imported. With an increasing amount of fresh produce being imported, the pesticide picture is not improving. Imported produce contains, on average, about three times the pesticide residue level found on domestically produced food. Only about 1% of imported foods from Asia and Latin America gets tested by the FDA. A number of recent food-borne illness outbreaks have also been associated with imported produce, such as hepatitis A from strawberries, Cyclospora from raspberries, and E. coli- infection from alfalfa sprouts and lettuce.
There are a number of reports of adverse reproductive and developmental effects in wildlife resulting from heavy exposure to pesticides, PCBs, dioxins and other environmental contaminants. What evidence is there that pesticides cause harm to human health? We know that those who are exposed through their work, such as farm workers and other persons handling pesticides and herbicides, face the greatest risk. For example, leukemia and cancers of the lymphatic system are more common among workers who for many years have applied phenoxyherbicides along railroads, electrical lines or in agricultural settings. Lung cancer rates are elevated among pesticide applicators while liver cancer and leukemia rates are elevated among farm workers. The incidence of lymphatic, genital and digestive tract cancers correlates with a higher than average herbicide use.
Recent studies in Germany show a link between heavy pesticide use in rural areas and incidence of childhood leukemia. Pesticides, along with PCBs, dioxin and other environmental contaminants may act as endocrine disrupters-- interfering with hormonal action and body functions. This makes them possible risk factors for hormone-related cancers such as prostate and breast cancer. Recent studies by the National Cancer Institute in Hawaii suggest that repeated exposure to the endocrine-disrupting chemicals, chlordane/heptachlor and 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, may play a role in the development of breast cancer.
On average, which foods are noted for being the most heavily contaminated with pesticides? Strawberries, cherries, apples, Mexican cantaloupe, Chilean grapes, raspberries, apricots, peas, peaches, nectarines, and spinach. The least contaminated with pesticides include avocados, onions, scallions, corn, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, green peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, and blueberries. Pesticides tend to accumulate in fatty material. Hence fatty meats, fish, and dairy products will have higher pesticide residue than the low-fat products. The wax coating on cucumbers facilitates the retention of the fungicides used on cucumbers.
What About Canned And Frozen Foods?
The washing and treatment process to prepare fruits and vegetables for canning or freezing removes or destroys most of the pesticide residues. For example, 80-90% of the benomyl residue (the fungicide suspected of causing birth defects) is removed when apples are made into applesauce and when tomatoes are converted into tomato juice.
There are a number of ways that we can minimize our individual exposure to pesticides. Firstly, eat a variety of foods. This will lessen our exposure to any one pesticide. Secondly, fruits and vegetables should be properly washed or peeled before eating. Fruits and vegetables with edible peels can be cleaned by scrubbing with a brush. Researchers in Texas substantially reduced the pesticide residues on 17 popular fruits and vegetables by washing in a dilute solution of dish detergent (1 tsp. per gallon of water), then rinsing in slightly warm water. The outer leaves of vegetables (lettuce and cabbage) should be discarded since these are the ones most contaminated. Thirdly, one can buy organically grown produce, usually at a higher price. However, an organic label does not guarantee the produce is truly organic. The federal government is working towards developing universal standards for what constitutes an organic food.
Today there are over 5,000 certified organic growers in the US. About one percent of the total U.S. fruit and vegetable acreage is organic. In California, about 2% of the state's farmers are organic farmers, while Texas reports more than 10% of its vegetable-crops are organically grown. Sales of organic foods reached $3.5 billion in 1996, and continue to increase 20% each year. More and more farmers are reducing reliance on pesticides by adopting integrated pest management.
Overall, the consumption of low-fiber, fat-rich and calorie-rich diets, along with the use of alcohol, pose a much, much greater threat to human health than chemical residues on our food.
Dirty Dozen: The 12 Fruits And Vegetables With The Most Pesticides
Could an apple a day really keep the doctor away? Maybe -- but it may also be coated in pesticides.
Today, the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy nonprofit, released its latest "Dirty Dozen" list of the 12 fruits and vegetables that are most contaminated with pesticides, as an update to its 2010 rankings. And taking first place this year? Apples. The ubiquitous fruit beat out last year's top spot, which went to celery (now at number two).
The health benefits of fruits and vegetables are, without a doubt, a known fact -- reinstating the message was last month's release of the USDA's MyPlatefood pyramid replacement, which suggests filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables.
But the potentially darker side of fruits and vegetables is centered around concerns about their pesticide loads, which some studies have linked to possible health problems, particularly among women who are pregnant and children. So when organic foods typically carry a higher price tag, what's a frugal shopper to do?
That's where the new shopper's guide comes into play (download it here).
"Picking five servings of fruits and vegetables from the 12 most contaminated would cause you to consume an average of 14 different pesticides a day," thegroup reports in its findings, which were based on data collected by the United States Departure of Agriculture of food samples that often were ready to be eaten (meaning that they had already been peeled or washed as necessary).
On the flip side, EWG writes that choosing foods from their counterpart "Clean 15" list will slash the pesticide volume by more than 90 percent. Topping the "Clean 15" were onions, sweet corn, pineapples and avocado.
"We have very good data showing that if people eat organic that measurable pesticide levels in their tissues drop, and this has been shown with kids as well," HuffPost blogger Dr. Andrew Weil told EWGlast year when they released the 2010 Shopper's List. "I've always said that it would be wise to learn which crops are more likely to carry pesticide residues and in those instance to try to get organic versions or to reduce consumption or avoid the conventional varieties."
Of course, while the EWG encourages going organic when it comes to items on their Dirty Dozen List, they do clearly state that conventional produce is certainly better than none at all: "The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure."
Certain members of the produce industry are taking that a few steps further, questioning the validity of the Dirty Dozen list in the first place. The Alliance for Food And Farming recently released this pesticide residue calculator online, with the promise of "putting residues in perspective."
"We understand there might be residues present, but … if you look at our calculator you can see how many servings of this would I or my child have to eat and still not have any health effects," executive director Marilyn Dolan told the Chicago Tribune earlier this month.
EWG's senior analyst Sonya Luder responded in the article, though, saying that the calculator is misleading and doesn't take several health factors into consideration.
And in regards to apples taking the new and dubious number one ranking on the dirty dozen, Luder told USA Today: "We think what's happening to apples is more pesticides and fungicides are being applied after the harvest so the fruit can have a longer shelf life."
The trade association for the produce industry, United Fresh Produce, countered in a statement to CNN, writing, "At a time when medical experts strongly urge Americans to realize the health benefits from eating more fruits and vegetables, it is irresponsible to mislead consumers with a sensational publicity stunt disguised as science."
Check out the brand new Dirty Dozen list here and tell us -- will you be opting for organic?
Here are the The Dirty Dozen List:
1. Lettuce
2. Spinach
3. Blueberries
4. Kale/Collard Greens
5. Sweet Bell Pepper
6. Grapes
7. Strawberries
8. Celery
9. Apple
10. Nectarines
11. Peaches
12. Potatoes
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