The ‘Dirty Dozen’ and ‘Clean 15’

Catherine Schneider, RD

In the interest of eating healthfully and saving money; choose organic produce for foods with higher pesticide counts. The Shopper's Guide to Pesticides www.foodnews.org/methodology.php) ranks pesticide contamination for 47 popular fruits and vegetables based on an analysis of 87,000 tests for pesticides on these foods, conducted from 2000 to 2007 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. Most of the studies used to create the list tested produce after it was rinsed or peeled.
The following lists called “the Dirty Dozen” and “the Clean 15” are taken from the Environmental Working group (www.foodnews.org) This site even has an app to download these lists to an iphone: www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php

“DIRTY DOZEN”
Buy these organic in order from worst to best
Peach
Apple
Bell Pepper
Celery
Nectarine
Strawberries
Cherries
Kale
Lettuce
Grapes (Imported)
Carrot
Pear

“CLEAN 15”
Lowest in Pesticides in order from best to worst)
Onion
Avocado
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Mango
Asparagus
Sweet Peas
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Papaya
Watermelon
Broccoli
Tomato
Sweet Potato