A New Report Yields Troubling Info About Significant Pesticide Risks in Common Produce

A recent report from Consumer Reports has revealed that approximately 20% of the foods analyzed contained pesticide residues at levels posing significant risks. The report, based on seven years of data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Data Program (PDP), highlights popular produce items such as strawberries, green beans, and potatoes among those with the highest risks.

Consumer Reports evaluated nearly 30,000 samples from 59 types of fruits and vegetables for their most comprehensive study on pesticides in food to date. The analysis found significant risks from pesticides in about 20% of the samples. Green beans, in particular, were highlighted for containing residues of acephate and its breakdown product methamidophos, both of which have been banned from use on vegetables for over a decade.

“When you grab a handful of green beans at the supermarket or pick out a watermelon, your chance of getting one with risky pesticide levels may be relatively low,” James Rogers, food safety expert at Consumer Reports, said in a statement. “But if you do, you could get a much higher dose than you should, and if you eat the food often, the chances increase.”

The risks from pesticides were not limited to fresh produce. The analysis also found risks in frozen, canned, and even organic produce, as reported by The Guardian. Produce such as bell peppers, blueberries, collard greens, celery, and green beans were all identified as having very high risks, with the risk level varying based on factors such as whether the produce was fresh or frozen, conventional or organic, and grown domestically or imported. For example, U.S.-grown conventional celery and collard greens showed moderate risks, while imported varieties had very high risks. In contrast, organic versions of these vegetables posed very low risks.

These findings align with the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list for 2024, which also identified strawberries, collard greens, and green beans as having the highest pesticide contamination. Other produce such as apples, peaches, grapes, spinach, and tomatoes showed moderate risks in the Consumer Reports study and are also featured on the Dirty Dozen list.

Consumer Reports determined risk levels based on the chronic toxicity of pesticides and the amount of produce a 35-pound child could safely consume per day.

The organization advises that most people should limit consumption of foods ranked with very high risks, and children and pregnant individuals should eat less than half a serving per day of these foods. For high-risk produce, the recommendation is less than one serving per day for children and pregnant people.

While the report indicates that about 20% of the analyzed foods pose significant risks from pesticides, it also notes that most of the popular produce consumed has low risks, especially for organic varieties. These lower-risk foods can be safely consumed at three or more servings per day.