The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has once again released their annual list of the “dirtiest” and “cleanest” fruits and vegetables available to U.S. consumers.
EWG’s analysis is drawn from data provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Pesticide Data Program. The Department does wash, peel, and scrub, each produce item prior to pesticide testing. Since pesticide contamination varies by crop, it is important to understand which items are most or least contaminated.
This year, the dirtiest produce commodity, according to the USDA’s Pesticide Data Program, is not a fresh fruit or vegetable but a dried one—raisins.
Traditionally, EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ has included fresh fruits and vegetables only. But because the USDA tested raisins last year for the first time since 2007, EWG decided to see how they would fare on the Dirty Dozen™ annual ranking of the fruits and vegetables with the most pesticides.
Almost every sample of non-organic raisins tested—99 percent—had residues of at least two pesticides. On the 2020 Dirty Dozen, raisins would rank worst of all fruits tested, including strawberries, nectarines, apples and cherries, all of which had residues of two or more pesticides on at least 90 percent of samples. Since pesticide contamination varies by crop, it is important to understand which items are most or least contaminated.
Also important to note is that the USDA does not test for all pesticides used in crop production. Notably, it does not analyze glyphosate, or Roundup, the most heavily used pesticide in the U.S., but high levels can be found in several grains and beans, such as oats and chickpeas, due to its increasing use as a pre-harvest drying agent.
EWG is a nonprofit and nonpartisan group that has been ranking fresh produce based on their levels of pesticide contamination (number of pesticides and amount of each pesticide) since 2004. The results are compiled into their Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce each year. The guide is meant to be a resource for consumers who cannot buy organic produce—for whatever reason. With this list, consumers can choose produce types based on their possible presence of pesticide contamination.
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EWG is a nonprofit and nonpartisan group that has been ranking fresh produce based on their levels of pesticide contamination (number of pesticides and amount of each pesticide) since 2004. The results are compiled into their Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce each year. The guide is meant to be a resource for consumers who cannot buy organic produce—for whatever reason. With this list, consumers can choose produce types based on their possible presence of pesticide contamination.
Trends in Food Safety and Protection explores the recent developments and ongoing research in the field of food safety and protection. The book covers improvements in the existing techniques and implementation of novel analytical methods for detecting and characterizing foodborne pathogens.
You must have JavaScript enabled to enjoy a limited number of articles over the next 30 days.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has once again released their annual list of the “dirtiest” and “cleanest” fruits and vegetables available to U.S. consumers.
Traditionally, EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ has included fresh fruits and vegetables only. But because the USDA tested raisins last year for the first time since 2007, EWG decided to see how they would fare on the Dirty Dozen™ annual ranking of the fruits and vegetables with the most pesticides.
Producing raisins is dangerous business, too. In January, a California woman died tragically at a raisin-processing plant when a piece of her clothing became ensnared in a machine that separates clumps of raisins.
Even more worrisome is how the finding might impact kids 15 and under, who reportedly eat some 208 million pounds of the stuff every year, claims Zion Market Research. For example, the insecticide chlorpyrifos, which is known to do damage to children’s nervous systems even at low levels, was found in 5% of conventional raisins and 6% of their organic counterparts, says the EWG.
That advice may be difficult to swallow for some. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, every American consumed an average of 1.25 pounds of raisins in 2017, the latest data available.
Shoppers would be hard-pressed to find a way to avoid pesticides on their fresh fruits and vegetables since nearly 70% of all produce sold in the U.S. contains pesticide residues, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which just released its annual Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
This isn’t the first time raisins have come under fire in the US. Last year, the Food and Drug Administration recalled Deshi-brand dried white grapes for containing undeclared sulfites, which could cause a deadly allergic reaction for some.
Are Raisins Healthy? Here’s What Experts Say | TIME
Are raisins good or bad for You?
There are several factors to consider about the nutritional benefits of raisins. Read on for a breakdown of what raisins have to offer, both good and bad, to determine if the benefits outweigh any risks. One-half cup of raisins has about 217 calories and 47 grams of sugar.
How many ounces of raisins are healthy to consume?
Daily raisin consumption should be from 30 to 40 grams (8 or 10 raisins). Eating too many raisins can provoke stomach discomfort, as they are high in fiber. They are also high in sugar and calories, so an excessive consumption may cause weight gain.
Should you eat raisins?
N utrition experts tend to favor a “less is more” approach when it comes to deciding what to eat: choosing whole, minimally processed foods over those with long, unpronounceable ingredient lists. Raisins, otherwise known as dried grapes, fit the bill.
Do Raisins have sugar?
Raisins are famous for being sweet little additions to bran cereal, oatmeal and trail mix. That said, they don’t always have the best reputation, being painted as super-sugary pieces of fruit. Like other dried fruits, raisins contain sugar, which is often natural (not added) sugar.