Apples are fruit most contaminated with pesticides

The watchdog Environmental Working Group has identified apples as the fruit or vegetable most contaminated with pesticides.

According to a report from The (Staunton, Va.) News Leader, EWG analyzed 53 fruits and vegetables for the most and least amount of pesticides.

Apples made a jump up on EWG’s list, moving from No. 3 to No. 1 in a year. About 92 percent of all apples EWG tested had two pesticides after washing and peeling. Celery was previously tops on this same list last year.

EWG analyst Sonya Lunder told The News Leader that more pesticides are being sprayed on apples after they’ve been harvested, allowing them to keep a longer shelf-lfie.

Though exposure to these pesticides through apples is going to be low, no data is available on the long term effects of these pesticides on human health.

Strawberries and imported grapes are also high on the group’s list of most-contaminated produce. Eating two of any food on its list of most pesticide-bathed fruits and vegetables exposes a person to up to 14 different pesticides.

Conversely, 90 percent of onions, asparagus, corn, pineapple, mango and avocado tested by EWG showed no traceable evidence of a single pesticide. The group said eating fruits and vegetables from its “clean list” can reduce pesticide expsoure by nearly 90 percent.