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Blueberries, beloved by nutritionists for their anti-inflammatory properties, have joined fiber-rich green beans on the "Dirty Dozen" list of non-organic agricultural produce with the most pesticides, according to the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit environmental health organization that publishes a report on the matter Every year.
In the 2023 Buyer's Guide to Pesticides in Produce, researchers analyzed test data on 46,569 samples of 46 fruits and vegetables performed by the USDA.
Each year, a rotating list of produce is tested by office workers who wash, peel or scrub fruits and vegetables, as consumers would before eating them.
The items were reviewed for 251 different pesticides.
Full of pesticides.
Green beans (Photo: ShutterStock)
A total of 210 pesticides were found on the 12 foods, the report said.
Cabbage, collard greens and mustard contained the largest number of different pesticides - 103 types - followed by peppers and peppers and hot peppers with 101 substances.
"Some of the Department of Agriculture's tests show traces of pesticides long banned by the Environmental Protection Agency. Much stricter federal regulation and oversight of these chemicals is needed," the report said.
"Pesticides are inherently toxic," said Jane Houlihan, former senior vice president of research for EWG who was not involved in the investigation.
"They are designed to harm living organisms, and this inherent toxicity has implications for children's health, including the potential risk of hormonal dysfunction, cancer, and damage to the developing brain and nervous system," said Houlihan, who now directs research dedicated to reducing infant exposure to neurotoxic chemicals.
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And this is already last year's list
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12 dirtiest
strawberries
Spinach
Kale, collard and mustard leaves
Peaches
pears
nectarines
apples
grapes
Red pepper and hot pepper
Cherries
Blueberries
green beans
the clean 15
But there is good news.
Concerned consumers can consider choosing conventionally grown vegetables and fruits from EWG's "Clean 15" list, a list of crops found to contain the lowest amount of pesticides, the report said. Another important and happy detail - nearly 65 percent of the foods on the list were not Detectable levels of pesticide.
The cleanest there is.
Avocado (Photo: ShutterStock)
Avocado once again topped the list of the least polluted produce of 2023, followed by sweet corn in second place.
Pineapple, onion and papaya, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, honeydew melon, kiwi, cabbage, mushrooms, mango, sweet potato, watermelon and carrot made up the rest of the list.
the clean 15
Avocado
sweet corn
pineapple
onions
Papaya
sweet peas (frozen)
asparagus
honey hotel
Kiwi
cabbage
mushrooms
mango
sweet potatoes
watermelon
carrots
"Exposure to pesticides during pregnancy may lead to an increased risk of birth defects, low birth weight and fetal death," stated the American Academy of Pediatrics.
"Exposure in childhood has been linked to attention and learning problems, as well as cancer."
The AAP suggests parents and caregivers consult the Buyer's Guide if they are concerned about their child's exposure to pesticides.
health
Nutrition and diet
Preventive nutrition
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diet
Pesticides