Which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticides?

In America, there's an official blacklist, headed by cabbage, strawberries, peaches, and spinach. In Italy, according to Legambiente, 74 percent of fruit is contaminated. Starting with...

di |
fruits and vegetables with more pesticides

In the United States, every year the Environmental Working Group , an NGO that deals with health and environmental protection, prepares two lists: one is called Dirty Dozen , and includes the 12 foods with the highest pesticide residues, and therefore the riskiest for the consumer; the other is called Clean Fifteen , and includes the 15 foods, within the Fruit and Vegetable category, that are decidedly cleaner.

The agricultural products most at risk

The first list, entitled Dirty Dozen, includes:

The Clean fifteen food group includes:

  • Pineapple
  • Avocado
  • Sweet corn
  • Papaya

Fruit and vegetables contaminated by pesticides in Italy

In Italy, according to statistics prepared by Legambiente with the collaboration of technicians and food safety experts, 74,1 percent of Italian-made fruit is contaminated by one or more residues. Pears, peaches, and citrus fruits are among the most contaminated products.

A study by ISDE Italia, the International Association of Doctors for the Environment , has discovered that fruit and vegetables sold within the countries of the Union are increasingly contaminated by PFAS, due to the pesticides used that contain them.

Here is the complete list of the fruit most contaminated by PFAS, grown in Italy:

  • Banana
  • Pere
  • Peaches
  • Strawberries
  • Apricots
  • Cherries
  • Plums
  • Mele
  • Table grapes
  • Melon

And this is the list of vegetables and greens most contaminated by PFAS in Italy:

  • Cucumbers
  • Celery
  • Pepperoni
  • Melanzane
  • Spinaci
  • Zucchini
  • bieta
  • Lettuce
  • Green Beans
  • Radish

Where are the most pesticides used in Italy?

The record for pesticide use in agriculture in Italy belongs to the province of Bolzano: 45 kilograms per hectare are sprayed. Such high levels of pesticide use are linked to the fact that South Tyrol has two dominant monocultures: apple orchards and vineyards. Apples alone are worth approximately €700 million annually, but unfortunately, they are no longer harvested on pristine soil. The consequences of such pervasive pesticide use in South Tyrol are deadly, as demonstrated by water samples with pesticide residue levels exceeding the tolerance limit. Even South Tyrol's children's playgrounds are contaminated by pesticides in 45 percent of cases.

Pesticides that leak into the environment

Only 5 percent of pesticides reach their target (the fruit or leaf); the remaining 95 percent escapes into the environment. Acetamiprid, for example, is harmful to pollinators because it affects their nervous systems and can contaminate water, nectar, and pollen.

CHow to remove traces of pesticides from fruit and vegetables

But, speaking of pesticides, let's look at some useful advice for buying fruit and vegetables with complete peace of mind without any health risks.

  • VariedChanging the variety of vegetables and fruits limits the accumulation effect.
  • If possible, always buy foods from organic farmingTo save on prices, opt for local growers or sign up for solidarity purchasing groups.
  • Alternatively, if you have a garden or terrace available, try to grow your own fruit and vegetables.
  • Always wash fruit and vegetables with water (and if necessary add bicarbonate of soda) Before consuming it, especially lettuce, tomatoes, apples, peppers, strawberries, and other varieties with very thin or no skin. Among the least contaminated foods are those with thicker skins, such as carrots and bananas.
  • If you don't opt ​​for organic fruit, always peel the fruit when possible since, as already mentioned, pesticides are concentrated mainly in the outer peel.

How to reduce pesticides in agriculture

Reducing agricultural pollutants is not easy, and industrial agriculture certainly cannot limit itself to the use of natural pesticides and fertilizers , as we can do in our gardens and with our plants. But there is a myth to dispel: that pesticides and fertilizers are always essential to increase the productivity of plants and soil. This is not the case. According to a study published in Science Advance , halving greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural pollutants would increase production by 15-25 percent in China, 10 percent in Western Europe, and 6-8 percent in India. This is a study that agricultural policymakers should memorize.

Read also:

Want to see a selection of our news?

Don't Waste