A little Nugget of Information

Developed by the Environmental Working Group, the 'Dirty Dozen' is a list of fruits and vegetables most highly contaminated with pesticide residues. When you are unable to purchase all your produce organically-grown, this list is a great tool to help you minimize your intake of pesticide residues by avoiding those foods highest on the list.

The Environmental Working Group's simulation of consumers eating high and low pesticide diets showed that it is possible to decrease exposure to pesticides by 90% by avoiding those foods that are the most highly contaminated and selecting those that are the least contaminated.

The Dirty Dozen - 12 Most Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables:

Food Pesticide Load scale
1-100 (100 most contaminated, if not Organic)

Peaches 100(highest)
Apples 89
Sweet Bell Peppers 86
Celery 85
Nectarines 84
Strawberries 82
Cherries 75
Pears 65
Grapes (imported) 65

Spinach 60
Lettuce 59
Potatoes 58


The Environmental Working Group also developed a list of the 12 Least Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables:

1-100 (1 least contaminated, if not Organic)

Onions 1(lowest)
Avocados 1
Pineapples 7
Mango 9
Asparagus 11
Sweet Peas 11
Kiwi 14
Bananas 16
Cabbage 17
Broccoli 18
Papaya 21

Contributing Source: George Mateljan WHFoods Weekly
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