Dirty Dozen 2012

Here’s the latest update to The Environmental Working Group’s annual Dirty Dozen guide. It’s designed to help shoppers determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues, and are therefore the most important to buy organic. This year’s guide is identical to last year’s, with two notable additions to the high pesticide watch:  green beans, and leafy greens like kale and collard greens

These veggies don’t meet traditional Dirty Dozen criteria, which measure the number of pesticides in the food and the levels of it. However, the EWG says they are often contaminated with highly toxic organophosphate insecticides, and so should be purchased organic whenever possible. So here’s the list:

• Apples
• Celery
• Sweet bell peppers
• Peaches
• Strawberries
• Nectarines – imported
• Grapes
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Cucumbers
• Blueberries – domestic
• Potatoes

+ PLUS

• Leafy greens
• Green Beans