Before you enjoy that juicy Strawberry, you might want to read this!

The 2018  Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) 2018 list of the “Dirty Dozen,” has been released. Perhaps you’re unfamiliar with this list. The EWG puts out an annual guide of pesticides in non-organic produce. Unfortunately,  strawberries come in first place in 2018 as the most contaminated. Next in line, (in order of contamination) are spinach, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes, and sweet bell peppers, with hot peppers as a bonus number 13.

How do they determine the “Dirty Dozen”?

Findings are based on tests conducted by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on more than 38,800 non-organic samples of produce. A total of 230 different pesticides and pesticide breakdown products were found in the produce they tested, according to the full 2018 report.

They also discovered that one-third of all conventional strawberry samples contained 10 or more pesticides. Ready for the kicker? One strawberry sample actually contained a shocking 22 pesticide residues! In addition, they found that 97 percent of conventional spinach samples contained pesticide residues and had relatively high concentrations of permethrin, a neurotoxic insecticide.

Bottom Line?

Choose Organic when possible. The Dirty Dozen is a great too for determining which produce you should buy organic. The certified organic fruits and vegetables are grown without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, according to USDA regulations. You can also use The Clean 15 as guide to saving money on your fruits and veggies.