How safe are our fruits and vegetables?

Between 1992 and 2001, the United States Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Data Program conducted over 100,000 tests on 46 popular fruits and vegetables for pesticide residue. Contamination was measured in six different ways and crops were ranked based on a composite score from all categories.

The Environmental Working Group took the information and published a "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce." This guide does not present a complex assessment of pesticide risks, nor does it state at what level of contamination pesticides pose an actual risk to human health. It simply reflects the overall load of pesticides found on commonly eaten fruits and vegetables, as ranked from 1, which is the least residue, to 100, which is the most.

Regardless of whether the pesticide residues found on our food are actually harmful to our health, common sense tells us there are things we can do to reduce our exposure. One thing we can do is wash the produce. The Food and Drug Administration's website (see link below) says: Washing fresh produce before eating is a healthful habit. You can reduce and often eliminate residues if they are present on fresh fruits and vegetables by following these simple tips: Wash produce with large amounts of cold or warm tap water, and scrub with a brush when appropriate; do not use soap. The other thing we can do is buy organically-grown foods.

For additional information about the "Dirty Dozen" listed foods:

·         Environmental Working Group: http://www.foodnews.org/reportcard.php

·         Food and Drug Administration (on washing) http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/pesticid.html

·         Produce Marketing Association: http://www.pma.com (News & Issues)

·         USDA Pesticide Data Program: http://www.ams.usda.gov/science/pdp/