The Dirty Dozen – pesticides

Strawberries for the first time in five years are number one in produce group with the most pesticide residue. Apples are number two, then nectarines, peaches, celery, grapes, cherries, spinach, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. Strawberries grown in 2014 showed that 7 percent of the strawberries had levels of pesticide residues considered illegal. Now, an average of 5.75 different pesticides per strawberry sample compared to 1.74 pesticides per sample of all the other produce. It is recommended buying the organic versions of the dirty dozen if you want to avoid pesticides on your food. Overall pesticide chemical residues found on the foods tested are at levels below the tolerances established by the Environmental Protection Agency (US) and do not pose a safety concern. Here is the list of produce with only 1 percent of samples showing any detectable pesticides:  avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, cabbage, frozen sweet peas, onions, asparagus, mangoes, papayas, kiwis, eggplant, honeydew melon, grapefruit, cantaloupe and cauliflower.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dirty-dozen-randy-bilesky?published=u

http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-the-dirty-dozen-1.2230755

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