The 2010 Dirty Dozen list:
1. Celery – 64 chemicals
Celery has no protective skin, which makes it almost impossible to wash off the chemicals that are used on crops. Buy organic celery, or choose alternatives like broccoli, radishes, and onions.
2. Peaches – 62 chemicals
Multiple pesticides are regularly applied to these delicately skinned fruits in conventional orchards. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include watermelon, tangerines, oranges, and grapefruit.
3. Strawberries – 59 chemicals
If you buy strawberries, especially out of season, they’re most likely imported from countries that have less-stringent regulations for pesticide use. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include kiwi and pineapples.
4. Apples – 42 pesticides
Like peaches, apples are typically grown with poisons to kill a variety of pests, from fungi to insects. Scrubbing and peeling doesn’t eliminate chemical residue completely, so it’s best to buy organic when it comes to apples. Peeling a fruit or vegetable also strips away many of their beneficial nutrients. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include watermelon, bananas, and tangerines.
5. Blueberries – 52 pesticides
New on the Dirty Dozen list in 2010, blueberries are treated with as many as 52 pesticides making them one of the dirtiest berries on the market.
6. Nectarines – 33 pesticides
With so many different pesticides found on nectarines, they rank up there with apples and peaches among the dirtiest tree fruit. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include, watermelon, papaya, and mango.
7. Bell peppers -49 pesticides
Peppers have thin skins that don’t offer much of a barrier to pesticides. They’re often heavily sprayed with insecticides. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include green peas, broccoli, and cabbage.
8. Spinach – 48!
New on the list for 2010, spinach can be laced with as many as 38 pesticides making it one of the most contaminated green leafy vegetable.
9. Kale
Traditionally, kale is known as a hardier vegetable that rarely suffers from pests and disease, but it was found to have high amounts of pesticide residue when tested this year. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include cabbage, asparagus, and broccoli.
10. Cherries – 42!
Even locally grown cherries are not necessarily safe. In fact, in one survey in recent years, cherries grown in the U.S. were found to have three times more pesticide residue then imported cherries. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include raspberries and cranberries.
11. Potatoes – 37!
America’s popular spud reappears on the 2010 Dirty Dozen list, after a year hiatus. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include eggplant, cabbage, and earthy mushrooms.
12. Grapes -34!
Imported grapes run a much greater risk of contamination than those grown domestically. Only imported grapes make the 2010 Dirty Dozen list. Vineyards can be sprayed with different pesticides during different growth periods of the grape, and no amount of washing or peeling will eliminate contamination because of the grape’s thin skin. Remember that next time you buy some wine. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include kiwi and raspberries..
