THE DIRTY DOZEN AND CLEAN FIFTEEN
A nonprofit and environmental watchdog called the Environmental Working Group (EWG) analyzes data provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on pesticide residue levels. Each year, a list of pesticides with minimum and maximum content in commercial crops is compiled. You can use these lists to decide which fruits and vegetables are organic to minimize pesticide exposure, and which are considered safe enough to buy in the usual way. Wash these fruits and vegetables. These listings change every year, so be sure to look for the most recent listings before filling out your shopping cart. You will find the most up-to-date list as well as instructions on the pesticides in the product.
Kale/Collard greens & Hot peppers*
*In addition to the Dirty Dozen, the EWG added two produce items contaminated with highly toxic organophosphateinsecticides.
The Clean Fifteen