ABOUT

Smart discussion of the latest science and news on toxins in your food, water, and air, and what government agencies should be doing to protect public health. Written by EWG staff.

DONATE TO EWG!

Help us protect your health and environment!  Please donate $5 to EWG today.

GET EWG'S TIPS & ACTION ALERTS

Sign Up here to receive email updates and tips from EWG and stay informed on the issues that matter most to you.

ENVIROBLOG VIA EMAIL

Delivered by FeedBurner

 Enviroblog in your Reader

Get EWG widgets & blog badges.

Join EWG's live chat with Chef Ann Cooper

School lunch: More fruits & veggies, please!

Texas Schools are Drilling for Dollars

Why do blowouts take so long to fix?

SEARCH ENVIROBLOG

FIND PAST POSTS

select month November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004

FEATURED

Support the 2010 Safe Cosmetics Act. It's Urgent.

Why, oh why is there plastic in my aluminum water bottle?

Cell phone radiation series - Part 2: 8 Ways to reduce your exposure

So what products CAN we use?

Test Your Knowledge of Cosmetics Safety: 8 Myths Debunked

EWG's Tips for Parents: The Series

EWG's Tips to avoid BPA exposure

EWG on TV

Cutting the Pork from U.S. Farm Bill

Toxic Tub?

Sunscreen safety & DC drinking water

Perchlorate in people, kids' personal care products & plastics, and sunscreen

BPA in baby formula & safe cosmetics

Ask EWG

What can I do about fluoride in my water?

What is new carpet treated with? What can I do?

What is "fragrance"?

Which infant formula is best?

Are stainless steel water bottles safe?

Is mineral-based makeup safer?

Ask EWG Archives

PEOPLE TALKING TOXICS

Breast Cancer Fund

The Daily Green

Eco Child's Play

Environmental Defense Fund

Green Moms Carnival

Grist

Healthy Child, Healthy World

Huffington Post Green

NRDC's Switchboard

Organic.org

Safer States

TreeHugger

TALK TO US

Did we miss something? Email Enviroblog.

« The greatest advertising trick of all time | Main | East L.A. says no more BPA »

Peach & Pesticide Pie: a summer favorite?

By Amy Rosenthal

Late summer produce harvest season is in full swing. Nothing should stand between you and all the peaches, berries, and tomatoes you can eat.

But when you're buying fruit for pies and corn to cook on the cob, don't forget about that old organic vs. conventional question.

Peaches top the list
Peaches are number one on my list of favorite fruit, but unfortunately EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides lists them as the "dirtiest" kind of produce. Researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that a single peach sample might test positive for as many as 9 different pesticides. Nearly all peaches examined had some kind of pesticide residue, including six pesticide compounds not approved for use in the United States.

A few other summer staples - nectarines, strawberries and cherries - are also on the Dirty Dozen list.

So what's a fruit lover to do?

1. Buy organic if you can. Yes, those organic peaches are more expensive per pound, but especially if you're pregnant or feeding them to kids, they're a worthwhile investment. Exposure to toxic chemicals is especially risky for smaller, still-developing bodies.
2. Minimize your risk other ways. Sweet corn, watermelon and tomatoes are all on EWG's "Clean 15" list, meaning they have the lowest levels of pesticide residue. When budgeting your produce dollars, you can feel better about buying the conventionally-raised versions.
3. Take a trip to the farmers market. Buying local doesn't necessarily mean "pesticide free," but it does give you the chance to talk to the farmer and find out what kind of growing methods he or she uses. Small farms may not always be certified organic by the USDA, but often they use no or only small amounts of synthetic chemicals.

What about blueberries?
You may have noticed that blueberries haven't been ranked by EWG, even on our full list of 47 types of produce. That's because the USDA program from which we take our raw data has only released one year's testing results for blueberries. That's just not enough data for us to analyze.

We hope we'll be able to add blueberries to the list sometime soon. In the meantime, EWG always recommends buying organic if you can (whether it's produce or other foods we haven't ranked, like milk and meat).

Want more EWG tips on what to eat? Check out #2 in our Healthy Home Tips Series - "Go organic and eat fresh foods."

« The greatest advertising trick of all time |