Row by Row Episode 242: Pesticides in Produce

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If you haven't heard of the "Dirty Dozen", listen up! Tonight, we're talking about something that has recently hit the news within the last week and not everyone seems to be talking about it! We think this is information you should know. We're talking about the top dozen vegetables and fruits offered in grocery stores that are contaminated with pesticides that are extremely common to purchase for most consumers. Is this data correct? Let's find out together! The Dirty Dozen comes from a CNN article analyzing the results of a 292 page USDA report regarding pesticides in produce in the United States. The article by CNN lists the top 12 vegetables with the most contamination from pesticides at grocery stores, as well as 15 foods that are the best options for avoiding pesticides. So, according to this report, what foods should you avoid in your grocery cart?

Dirty Dozen

The Dirty Dozen is the list of the vegetables with the most amount of pesticides found on them according to the USDA:

1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale/Collards/Mustard Greens
4. Peaches
5. Pears
6. Nectarines
7. Apples
8. Grapes
9. Bell & Hot Peppers
10. Cherries
11. Blueberries
12. Green Beans

Clean Fifteen

The Clean Fifteen is the list of the vegetables with the least amount of pesticides found on them according to the USDA:

1. Avocados
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapple
4. Onions
5. Papaya
6. Sweet Peas 
7. Asparagus
8. Honeydew Melon
9. Kiwi
10. Cabbage
11. Mushrooms
12. Mangoes
13. Sweet Potatoes
14. Watermelon
15. Carrots

How trustworthy is this information?

It's no secret that even when information seems accurate and thoroughly studied, flaws in the method of study and data collection can happen, especially when personal interests are involved. In this particular study, we found that the sample sizes were very small. For example, only 7 samples were pulled from Florida for this study. From California, only 13. Compared to how much produce comes from these states, such small sample pools can not possibly represent the whole of the industry. Also, Neonicotinoids are not mentioned in the report at all, despite how extremely prevalent it is in farming. So, should we really be worried about pesticides? It is true that exposure to pesticides can contribute many health issues including cancer and type 2 diabetes. However, this study claims that 99% of produce is below the USDA's pesticides tolerance and 42.5% of produce had no detectable pesticide amount at all. Ultimately, it is impossible to draw conclusions from this study particularly. It is important to always look at information for yourself to determine how accurate or relevant it is. The only way to guarantee the safety of your produce from dangerous pesticides is to grow food for yourself, or purchase food from small local farms that you know the farming practices of. 

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