The latest updates to the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list revealed new changes in the amount of pesticide residue on supermarket fruits and vegetables.
The most surprising news from the USDA tests reveals that the popular health food kale is among the most contaminated fruits and vegetables. More than 92 percent of kale samples had two or more pesticide residues detected, and a single sample could contain up to 18 different residues. The most frequently detected pesticide, found on nearly 60 percent of kale samples, was Dacthal, or DCPA – classified by the Environmental Protection Agency since 1995 as a possible human carcinogen, and prohibited for use in Europe since 2009.
The following foods round out the 2019 Dirty Dozen list:
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Kale
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Grapes
- Peaches
- Cherries
- Pears
- Tomatoes
- Celery
- Potatoes
On the other hand, there are some fruits and vegetables that are conventionally grown with much lower pesticide residue. Here is the Environmental Working Group’s Clean Fifteen list for 2019.
- Avocados
- Sweet Corn
- Pineapple
- Frozen Sweet Peas
- Onion
- Papayas
- Eggplants
- Asparagus
- Kiwis
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Cantaloupes
- Broccoli
- Mushrooms
- Honeydew Melons
Get the full Environmental Working Group list of 47 produce items ranked from worst to best here.
Article adapted from the Environmental Working Group.
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