Eat Smart: Reducing your exposure to pesticides in produce

With farmers’ markets and gardening season officially in full swing, fresh produce is plentiful. To help you identify fruits and vegetables with higher and lower pesticide risk scores , the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County has developed a Shopper’s Tips for Buying Fruits & Vegetables wallet card.

In general*

• Fleshy fruits and thin-skinned vegetables are the most likely to have higher pesticide residues in USDA tests of conventionally-grown produce.
• Thick-skinned fruits and vegetables, or ones with outer skins that are not consumed, such as bananas, citrus fruits, onions and pineapples, consistently have very low pesticide residues in their edible portions.

• Buy organically-grown fruits and vegetables whenever possible.
  Organic produce tends to have much lower pesticide residues than conventionally grown produce. But organic foods are often more expensive. If you can only buy a limited amount of organic produce, buy those fruits and vegetables ranked in the higher risk section on the Shopper’s Card.
  
  
• Choose U.S. grown produce.
  If you can't find organic fruits and vegetables, try to buy produce that is grown in the U.S. Imported produce tends to have higher pesticide levels. 
  
  Buying locally grown produce is also a good choice. Shop at your local farmers’ market and ask the farmer about pesticide use. For a list of local farmers’ markets, produce stands and U-Pick farms visit Puget Sound Fresh.
  
  Another option is to grow your own pesticide-free produce. Start a vegetable garden in your backyard or join a community garden.
  
  
• Always wash fruits and vegetables to remove dirt and residues.
  Thoroughly wash all produce under running water. At least two studies have found that washing produce under tap water for at least 30 seconds reduces most pesticide residues. No significant additional benefit is achieved from using specially-marketed “veggie wash” products.
  
  For produce with a thick, edible skin such as apples, potatoes and cucumbers, use a small scrub brush to clean the outer layer.
  

Remember, to maximize health benefits, you should eat at least 2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables each day. The information provided here can help you to make smarter choices that minimize your exposure to pesticides but it shouldn’t discourage you from eating fruits and vegetables.

Go to the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County Web site to download the wallet card or call 206-263-3050 to request a copy. The card is available in 11 languages.

*Based on United States Department of Agriculture data and using the Environmental Protection Agency's dietary risk characterizations.