eve
Jul 29th, 2005, 09:17 AM
I read that the Environmental Working Group in the US recently released warnings about fruit. It's a long report but the upshot was that along with govt tests, raspberries, strawberries, apples, and peaches are the foods most contaminated with pesticides. Those least contaminated are watermelon, bananas, kiwi, pineapple, corn, onions and peas.
Shane Heaton, organic food quality researcher for Biological Farmers of Australia, said the list is fairly accurate but cooking foods does degrade pesticides to some degree. Washing them does not wash away the pesticides. The grape and stone fruit grower for Sun World Australasia says that polluted rainfall could do more damage than any of the pesticides in use.
Finally, the article states that fruits & vegies protect consumers against disease regardless of whether they're organic or not - if you can, buy organic, otherwise try and avoid the worst offenders.
There's a list of the dirty dozen and a list of 12 safe-to-eat. The safest in order are sweet corn, avocados, pineapple, cauli, mangoes, peas, asparagus, onions, broccoli, bananas, kiwi, pawpaw.
The dirty dozen are peaches, strawberries, apples, spinach, nectarines, celery, pears, cherries, spuds, capsicums, raspberries, grapes. (and I just bought celery and capsiums today!)
Shane Heaton, organic food quality researcher for Biological Farmers of Australia, said the list is fairly accurate but cooking foods does degrade pesticides to some degree. Washing them does not wash away the pesticides. The grape and stone fruit grower for Sun World Australasia says that polluted rainfall could do more damage than any of the pesticides in use.
Finally, the article states that fruits & vegies protect consumers against disease regardless of whether they're organic or not - if you can, buy organic, otherwise try and avoid the worst offenders.
There's a list of the dirty dozen and a list of 12 safe-to-eat. The safest in order are sweet corn, avocados, pineapple, cauli, mangoes, peas, asparagus, onions, broccoli, bananas, kiwi, pawpaw.
The dirty dozen are peaches, strawberries, apples, spinach, nectarines, celery, pears, cherries, spuds, capsicums, raspberries, grapes. (and I just bought celery and capsiums today!)