Do you know which produce has the most pesticides? The website www.foodnews.org, sponsored by the Environmental Working Group, has a Shoppers Guide to Pesticides which you can download as a PDF. There is also a nice, free iPhone/iPod Touch application called Dirty Produce, which also lists the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15. I find the iPhone app really useful while shopping for groceries, as it helps me decide whether a certain veggie should always be organic or could I get away with the regular version.
For example, below is their list of Top Ten Dirtiest Produce. I would always try to buy these organic, and I would still be cautious in washing and scrubbing:
RANK | FRUIT OR VEGGIE | SCORE |
1 (worst) | Peach | 100 (highest pesticide load) |
2 | Apple | 93 |
3 | Sweet Bell Pepper | 83 |
4 | Celery | 82 |
5 | Nectarine | 81 |
6 | Strawberries | 80 |
7 | Cherries | 73 |
8 | Kale | 69 |
9 | Lettuce | 67 |
10 | Grapes – Imported | 66 |