The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently released its 2024 “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen” reports — catalogs of conventionally grown fruits and veggies with the highest and lowest amounts of pesticide residue. Compared to last year, the percentage of pesticide-laden produce holds steady with 75% of the sample containing potentially noxious chemicals.
Strawberries topped the “Dirty Dozen” list for the seventh year in a row. Rounding out the top five? Dark leafy greens, such as spinach and kale, along with grapes and peaches.
The most frequently detected chemicals were fungicides: fludioxonil, pyraclostrobin, boscalid, and pyrimethanil. Specifically, fludioxonil and pyraclostrobin were the top two chemicals found in the sample, and both are known endocrine disruptors which have been linked to male reproductive system damage.
“Emerging evidence suggests many widely used fungicides may disrupt human hormone systems,” said EWG senior toxicologist Alexis Temkin, PhD. “But more studies are needed to better understand the risks they — and all pesticides — pose to humans, particularly children.”
Take control of what you put in your body with this year’s EWG “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen” lists:
The Dirty Dozen: |
The Clean Fifteen: |
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For a full list of where various fruits and veggies rank, visit the EWG website.
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So what’s the best way to clean fruits and veggies, in particular, the Dirty Dozen?