The "Dirty Dozen" Fruits and Vegetables Containing the Most Pesticides

re: The "Dirty Dozen" Fruits and Vegetables Containing the Most Pesticides

Karen1 — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 23:46:46 GMT

I would consider your "Dirty Dozen" list to be more valueable if you could explain what the process is of creating this list. Are you testing the produce before washing or after? If you are doing it before washing then there's a possibility that you are placing the red flags on produce that is not necessarily the most dangerous. Granted, no one wants pesticides but a little background on your procedures for evaluating the variables would be appreciated. Which specific compounds and levels need to be present to be placed on this list. I'd like to do further research into this topic and can only find hypothesis without a scientific procedure for the conclusions...at this point, I can only assume that this is someone's opinion and nothing more. Thank you. KM

re: The "Dirty Dozen" Fruits and Vegetables Containing the Most Pesticides

Zambini — Thu, 17 May 2007 16:01:49 GMT

Our family actually moved from a rural potato producing area to escape the toxins in the air, soil and water. We were one of the few lucky families that didn't need to install a full house water filter on our well before we sold. Everything is contaminated from commercial potato production, as was our health. They spray the ground and the potatoes before, during and after planting. Pesticides, fungicides, sprout inhibitors, fertilizers, you name it! We don't eat commercial potato skins, since much of it deposits there, but when at all possible we eat only organic potatoes or opt for rice.

Broccoli was also grown in the area, and it was rare they had a tractor or plane spraying those fields.

re: The "Dirty Dozen" Fruits and Vegetables Containing the Most Pesticides

Joan McGovern Tendler — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:41:00 GMT

This is great information! It's particularly interesting because 6 out the 8 crops with the most pesticide residue can be easily grown in a vegetable garden. Even more interesting, though, is that these same crops -bell peppers, strawberries, spinach, lettuce, carrots, and green beans- are among the top picks for growing in an attractive edible landscape. With some careful planning, these crops can even be grown in your front yard, if that is your only large sunny space. With a formal layout, edging, stepping stones, and garden ornaments (like a bird bath), a vegetable garden can be quite attractive. Strawberries are a great ground cover (sweet potatoes as well), and the others can be planting as borders or in clumps, with flowers placed strategically here and there. True, it won't compete with an established perennial border. However, there are few things more satisfying, and delicious, than food you've grown yourself (especially strawberries), and now there's more reason than ever to do it!

re: The "Dirty Dozen" Fruits and Vegetables Containing the Most Pesticides

archidad — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:59:24 GMT

OK - so here is a dilemma in a small town north of Boston trying to do the right thing by recycling the most costly of all wastes: food wastes from restuarants and grocers. On the one hand creating compost from such wastes seems to be a sustainable approach to managing these wastes...HOWEVER, a local organic farm (asked to participate in this project) asks a compelling question:

"Can you use a nonorganic tomato to produce compost to put on an organic tomato?"

Agresource is the company looking to investigate the process of composting (recyclcing) food wastes.

http://www.agresourceinc.com/index.htm

re: The "Dirty Dozen" Fruits and Vegetables Containing the Most Pesticides

goodfats — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 03:40:22 GMT

I use a veggie wash to clean the surface of the fruits and vegeatables I am not able to purchase organic. With that said, from what I have been told, there are still a lot of chemical contaminants in the fruit itself.

re: The "Dirty Dozen" Fruits and Vegetables Containing the Most Pesticides

truthseeker — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 17:48:04 GMT

hI All;

Okay, so we know that we should eat only organic produce but, in my area the selection of organic produce is very limited. The last trip to the store and all that was available were; kiwis and green onions. Kiwis are already mentioned as one of the least dangerous.

Anyone know of any major produce suppliers that will be, in the not too distant future, switching to organic exclusively or at least featuring a line of organic produce?

The nearest food coop is 45 miles away. The nearest family owned produce stand is 25 miles away, seasonly operated and has most of its produce trucked in and does not guarantee anything to be organic. In fact their crops are heavily sprayed.

Knowing what is healthy and safe is far away from the reality of actually being able to obtain it.

re: The "Dirty Dozen" Fruits and Vegetables Containing the Most Pesticides

vickie_3 — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:53:32 GMT

We use one of the veggie washes - you can feel the difference on the skin of apples and others foods. Does this help some? I have also seen in The Sharper Image store a device that adds ozone to tap water and gives it anti-bacterial properties and is supposed to clean off pesticide residue. Any remarks?

Let me put in a super big plug for the local farmers markets! Great quality, fair prices and mostly organinc or at least pesticide free.

re: The "Dirty Dozen" Fruits and Vegetables Containing the Most Pesticides

mparisoe — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 17:14:17 GMT

Previously, Dr. Mercola has advised against eating grapes because of they're high in sugars and because they're sprayed with pesticides. What about the new product "Purple Defense"? Is it organic?

re: The "Dirty Dozen" Fruits and Vegetables Containing the Most Pesticides

Laserman — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 15:20:29 GMT

Here are the rest of the 12 fruits and vegetables most and least treated with pesticides:

In addition to those mentioned:

Most treated: Cherries, Imported Grapes, Nectarines, Pears, Potatoes, Red Raspberries.
Least treated: Bananas, Cauliflower, Sweet Corn, Kiwi, Mangoes, Papaya, Sweet Peas.

So if your produce budget doesn't allow you to buy all organic (or all the items are simply not available to you), you could divide your money between organic and conventional produce based on what is affordable, and what is most and least pesticide treated. Where I live organic bananas are only 10 cents more per lb. than conventional (low pesticide treated). Organic grapes on the other hand, are twice the price (high pesticide usage). Go figure. (I know grapes are harder to grow successfully without pesticides and fungicides.)

re: The "Dirty Dozen" Fruits and Vegetables Containing the Most Pesticides

Tixona — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 22:19:36 GMT

I would simply buy organic and save the hassle of wondering if it is safe.

re: The "Dirty Dozen" Fruits and Vegetables Containing the Most Pesticides

terryneal — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 21:02:20 GMT

Some of these foods are my children's favorites. Does anyone know if the veggie washes sold really remove the toxins? Surely they're better than plain running water.