- The EWG 2021 Dirty Dozen list has been released, and experts have added more leafy greens and bell peppers for their elevated pesticide levels.
- Collard greens and mustard join kale in the top 3, while hot peppers and bell peppers are in the top 10 for conventional produce.
- The traces of pesticides highlighted in the report are below federal guidelines and can be avoided by switching to organic products or focusing on frozen varieties. The EWG Clean Fifteen list highlights conventional produce that is grown without high pesticide residue.
The environmental working group (known as the EWG) has released its latest list of fruits and vegetables that the organization’s experts have determined contain elevated levels of pesticides. Over the past year, the nonprofit has analyzed random samples of products across the country to create its Dirty Dozen list, which highlights the nature of conventional farming and how certain practices can pose a health risk to consumers. . Using the same test data, the EWG also creates a counterpart list called Clean Fifteen, which highlights products that contain virtually no traces of pesticides despite conventional growing methods.
The Dirty Dozen list has been published annually since 2004 and uses data generated by the United States Department of Agriculture, which is partially charged with regulating acceptable levels of pesticides in agricultural products. It is interesting to note that USDA data on pesticide levels is recorded after washing and peeling the product when it is possible. This year’s complete list of Dirty Dozen is accompanied by a guide containing 46 different fruits and vegetables; Here are the top 12 grocery store finds that EWG officials have determined contain the most pesticide residue in the produce aisle.
The Dirty Dozen Food List of 2021:
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Kale / collard greens and mustard greens
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Peaches
- Pears
- Bell peppers and hot
- Celery
- Tomatoes
If you follow the list annually, you will notice that most of the ranking has been stable since last year’s review. Strawberries are likely to contain higher amounts of pesticides on their surfaces, along with a recent addition of kale and spinach that surprised us in 2020. But pesticide residues affecting these leafy greens, known as DCPA, a herbicide that Also sold under the Dacthal brand, they have also hit other commodities in this section of the product aisle. Collard greens and mustard they are grouped with kale in this year’s rankings, as more than 90 different types of pesticides were traced back to leafy greens as a whole; a sample of mustard greens had 20 different pesticides, for example, and kale and collard greens had as many as 17 in a sample.
The latest independent addition to the Dirty Dozen list is coming to an end: bell peppers and hot peppers. These veggies are new to the list after being tried for the first time in a decade. USDA data indicates that 115 different pesticides were traced back to bell peppers, which according to the EWG is the highest amount of any item on their list. Mainly, the concern has to do with organophosphate insecticides that, according to the EWG, can affect the cognitive development of children and that have been largely banned abroad.
The EWG also released a special report on citrus fruits, which are not represented in the top 12 on this list, but have come to the attention of the organization for their upward trend in the minimum amounts of registered pesticides. Tangerines in particular, but also a wide swath of oranges, tangerines, lemons and grapefruits, contained a fungicide (imazalil) that the EWG says has been linked to cancer and hormonal irregularities. “The average concentration of imazalil in citrus that EWG had tested was a staggering 20 times higher than the limit we recommend to protect children from cancer,” said EWG toxicologist Alexis Temkin, PhD, referring to independent non-federal guidelines from the organization.
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While leafy greens and citrus may come under scrutiny this year, the EWG’s Dirty Dozen shouldn’t completely discourage you from the produce aisle. Stefani Sassos, MS, RD, CDN, a registered dietitian in the Good Housekeeping Institute, says her experience in holistic cancer treatment has frequently illustrated the benefits of being organic. But she emphasizes that the The nutritional benefits associated with all the fruits and vegetables on that list far outweigh any possible negative effects of eating non-organic produce.
The EWG standards for establishing your Dirty Dozen list are rigorous, which you need to understand before you ditch any of these products for good. Research published in 2011 suggests that the amounts of pesticides referenced in the EWG report are well below federal guidelines and could be up to 1,000 times below the Environmental Protection Agency limit. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that a large majority of Americans (up to 90%) do not eat enough vegetables and fruits as is; Both organic and non-organic vegetables offer a lot of nutrients like fiber, a large variety of vitamins, and too many minerals to count.
Should I buy organic products?
You can largely avoid any potential health concerns raised by EWG officials, even minor risks, by purchasing organically grown vegetables and fruits. “Whether organic or conventionally grown, fruits and vegetables are critical components of a healthy diet,” said Thomas Galligan, Ph.D., an EWG toxicologist, in a comment on today’s release. “We urge consumers who are concerned about their pesticide intake to consider, when possible, purchasing organically grown versions of EWG’s Dirty Dozen foods, or Clean Fifteen’s conventional agricultural products.”
Sassos notes that the USDA has drawn up stricter regulations for organic foods; Anything bearing a USDA organic seal has not been genetically modified or come into contact with GMOs, and most synthetic substances are prohibited in organic farming. In addition, some data suggests that organic products contain more antioxidant polyphenols; And these nutrients can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Sassos also notes that some organic farming methods may end up being more sustainable than conventional farming due to the integrity of the soil.
Fresh organic produce can be more expensive than conventionally grown options, and very difficult to find in some areas. Whether you have budget concerns or don’t have access to a full variety, a great middle ground is stocking up on frozen veggies and fruits instead, especially for items within the Dirty Dozen that make the list annually (strawberries, for example!). “Frozen products are often kept at their maximum nutritional value, especially relative to products that may have been trucked or loaded for many days to reach their destination,” says Sassos.
The list of the 15 clean of 2021
If you’re looking to stretch your budget or make an up-to-date grocery shopping list for the produce section at your local market, EWG’s Clean Fifteen list can help. Tests on these products revealed that conventional growing processes still left them so “clean” of pesticide residues; the first seven items contain one of the three pesticides in various amounts, and nearly 70% of all Clean Fifteen fruits and vegetables had no pesticide residues. Feel free to stock up on these items without hesitation:
- Avocados
- Sweet corn
- Pineapple
- Onions
- Papaya
- Frozen sweet peas
- Eggplant
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Kiwi
- Cauliflower
- Mushrooms
- Sweet melon
- Melons
The bottom line: Consuming any type of product is essential in a healthy and balanced diet, regardless of whether it has been grown in a conventional way or has been designated as organic. Don’t use the Dirty Dozen list as a reason to stray from any of the items in the EWG report – the nutritional benefits far outweigh any minimal risks associated with the amounts of pesticide this list highlights.
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