The Environmental Working Group (EWG) released 2012's Dirty Dozen last week, a list of the most popular foods and their total pesticide content. It's the eighth edition of the report, which helps guide budget-conscious shoppers in the organic grocery aisle.
EWG has expanded the list, now the Dirty Dozen Plus, to accommodate green beans and leafy greens (kale, collard greens) that didn't meet traditional Dirty Dozen criteria, but were found to be contaminated with highly toxic organophosphate insecticides. These insecticides are especially toxic to babies.
Toxic insecticides and babies
Organophosphate insecticides are associated with neurodevelopmental effects in children, said EWG toxicologist Johanna Congleton. “Infants in particular should avoid exposure to these pesticides since they are more susceptible to the effects of chemical insult than adults."
This year, the USDA analyzed pesticide residues on baby food for the first time since it began the testing program in 1991. More bad news: It found the pesticide iprodione, which the Environmental Protection Agency lists as a probable human carcinogen, in baby food pear samples.
Dirty Dozen Plus – buy these organic
- Apples
- Celery
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Peaches
- Strawberries
- Nectarines (imported)
- Grapes
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Cucumbers
- Blueberries (domestic)
- Potatoes
Plus
- Green Beans
- Kale/Greens
Clean Fifteen – lowest in pesticides
- Onions
- Sweet Corn
- Pineapples
- Avocado
- Cabbage
- Sweet Peas
- Asparagus
- Mangoes
- Eggplant
- Kiwi
- Cantaloupe
- Sweet Potatoes
- Grapefruit
- Watermelon
- Mushrooms
Article courtesy of NewHope360.com, found here.
