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Pesticides
US study finds apples and celery most likely to carry pesticide residue
Apples and celery top the ‘dirty dozen’ list of pesticide-laden produce – but don’t worry there is good news too…
APPLES AND CELERY are the foods most likely to be laden with pesticides in the USA, according to findings released by Washington-based environmental group.
The 2011 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, complied by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG), sampled fruits and vegetables produced in the USA and identified those which had been liberally dosed with pesticides. The findings showed that 98 per cent of apples tested revealed traces of pesticides.
The so-called “dirty dozen” – the top pesticide offenders – were identified as:
- Apples
- Celery
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Spinach
- Nectarines
- Grapes
- Bell peppers
- Potatoes
- Blueberries
- Lettuce
- Kale/collard greens
Meanwhile, the “Clean 15″ – foods with virtually no pesticide residues - were identified as:
- Onions
- Corn
- Pineapples
- Avocado
- Asparagus
- Sweet peas
- Mangoes
- Aubergine
- Cantaloupe melon
- Kiwi
- Cabbage
- Watermelon
- Sweet potatoes
- Grapefruit
- Mushrooms
According to data released by Ireland’s National Residue Control Plan, just 0.3 per cent of samples from Irish animals and products tested positive for residues in 2009.
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