I wrote an article about organic food in the June issue of the PM, where I discussed a list of the most heavily (and least heavily) contaminated fruits and vegetables, as put together by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization founded in 1993 to provide information to protect public health and the environment. Buying 100% organic food at all times is inaccessible and/or unaffordable to many, and not everybody knows their farmers (many of which use organic practices but choose not to pursue certified organic status). EWG’s Shopper’s Guide To Pesticide Use In Produce is a tool enabling people to make healthier choices, given their circumstances.

At the time, I did not realize that the list of “good” and “bad” produce, aptly titled the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15, is updated annually. It makes perfect sense. The list is based on pesticide loads, which change from year to year.
“Changes could depend on the pests and climate that year,” says Fair Food Fight’s Barth Anderson, who has been following the list since 1995. Apples are one example. “A cool rainy summer, or very humid one, will bring out molds and pests for apple growers that will require a lot of pesticides to control, and different pesticides depending on environmental factors or weather patterns of the whole region, which has different pests and different requirements,” he says.

Environmental Working Group Press Secretary Sara Sciammacco echoes the sentiment. “Produce sometimes shift places in the Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen lists from year to year based on the pesticide usage practices of the year each crop was tested. Pesticide use on particular crops varies, depending on the weather conditions and pests that are common the year it was grown. Furthermore, some pesticides have had their uses restricted (for example organophosphates) and new pesticides have taken their place that may be applied in differing amounts of time periods, which impact the amount and type of residues when they reach your kitchen,” she said.

There have been several notable changes in this year’s guide, which “included apples’ rank as the most contaminated produce, jumping three spots from last year to replace celery at the top of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list,” Sciammacco said. “According to USDA, pesticides showed up on 98 percent of the more than 700 apple samples tested.” Honeydew melons dropped off the clean 15 list. In addition, cherries dropped off the dirty dozen list this year, and lettuce has been added.

But is this just minutiae? Would it matter if a fruit or vegetable had slightly higher or slightly lower residue than another piece of produce? And how harmful are pesticides in small doses, really? The jury, it appears, is still out on this one. “It's never been our message that produce with pesticides are unsafe,” Sciammacco said. “Fact is, the government has not done studies that would answer the many questions about pesticides’ impact on health. Neither has the industry. But lack of data about residue safety is not proof that pesticides are safe,” she points out, adding that she believes that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweighs the risks associated with pesticide exposure. However, she also adds, “Pesticides are toxic by design, meant to eradicate bugs, weeds and fungus so it's common sense people should avoid making them a staple in their daily diets, especially children and pregnant women.”

In addition to the desire to avoid the consumption of potentially harmful pesticide residue, there are other reasons for buying organic food. “Buying organic sends a message that you support environmentally friendly farming practices that minimize soil erosion, safeguard workers and protect water quality and wildlife,” Sciammacco explained. Anderson points out that it is the farmers who are applying large doses of 20-30 pesticides who suffer the real health consequences.

But let’s assume we’re trying to avoid food with heavy amounts of pesticide residue… and we’re noticing the list keeps changing each year. Aside from the previously mentioned changes due to differing quantities of pesticides in response to pests, the weather, etc., the lists also shift around due to the addition of food items that have never before been tested. Mushrooms, for example, are now included in the clean 15 list—after being tested by the USDA for the first time. Cilantro, on the other hand, had never been tested by the USDA until now and instantly made the dirty dozen list. “The data showed 33 unapproved pesticides on 44% of the cilantro samples tested, which is the highest percentage of unapproved pesticides recorded on any item included in the guide since EWG started tracking the data in 1995,” Sciammacco said.

While it seems easy in theory, carrying around a list of “clean” and “dirty” produce to the store can be a bit inconvenient, especially if it changes annually. So it’s worth noting that the EWG uses a specific methodology to compile the list, which uses USDA and FDA data, and it’s worth noting that produce is taken from distribution centers and tested by the government as it is typically eaten—which means that residues are tested after fruits and vegetables are washed and peeled (when applicable).

What does this mean for you? If you don’t want to carry an annually updated list to the store with you, Anderson believes a little common sense can go a long way. He points out that soft, thin-skinned fruits and vegetables are the first to make it on the list as they are most likely to soak up pesticides. “It doesn’t really matter to me whether it’s the 1st or 4th ranking item; I would tend to buy organic,” Anderson said. It is worth noting that soft-skinned fruit figures prominently in this year’s Dirty Dozen--which includes apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, grapes and blueberries, along with celery, spinach, lettuce, kale/collard greens and potatoes. Anderson points out that potatoes are often on the list since they get a very big dose of different chemicals. “A lot tend to be fumigants, to control the bacteria in the soil,” he points out. Fruits and vegetables that are peeled is likely to have less pesticide residue, since the chemicals are often concentrated on the outside of the plant. Looking at the list, fruit such as pineapples, avocados, canteloupe and watermelon are on the clean list, along with some less intuitive items (including onions, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, sweet potatoes and grapefruit).

For reference, however, this year’s list is below. The full list (and annual updates) can be found on http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/.

Dirty Dozen (Highest in Pesticides):
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines (imported)
7. Grapes (imported)
8. Sweet bell peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries (domestic)
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/collard greens

Clean 15 (Lowest in Pesticides):
1. Onions
2. Corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe (domestic)
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms