The Environmental Working Group (EWG) published its ‘2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.’ EWG listed a ‘Dirty Dozen’ fruits and vegetables that it claims are “packed with fungicides that can disrupt human hormones.” “Across fruits and vegetables from EWG’s Dirty Dozen – the Shopper’s Guide component that identifies the 12 non-organic‚ or conventional‚ fresh produce with the most pesticides – four of the five most frequently detected chemicals are fungicides: fludioxonil‚ pyraclostrobin‚ boscalid and pyrimethanil‚” EWG wrote in a press release. “Two of these‚ fludioxonil and pyrimethanil‚ also show up in the highest average concentrations of any pesticides found on the Dirty Dozen. Both fungicides may be endocrine disruptors with the potential to harm the male reproductive system‚” it continued. “Emerging evidence suggests many widely used fungicides may disrupt human hormone systems‚” said EWG Senior Toxicologist Alexis Temkin‚ Ph.D. “But more studies are needed to better understand the risks they – and all pesticides – pose to humans‚ particularly children‚” Temkin added. The ‘Dirty Dozen’ includes: Strawberries Spinach Kale‚ Collard &; Mustard Greens Grapes Peaches Pears Nectarines Apples Bell &; Hot Peppers Cherries Blueberries Green Beans 95% of These Fruits + Vegetables Tested Positive for Pesticides “There’s data to suggest that these fungicides can disrupt the hormone function in our body…" — Alexa Friedman @ewg https://t.co/gcNtWOXSEP — Children’s Health Defense (@ChildrensHD) March 25‚ 2024 From EWG: Fungicides are applied on fruits and vegetables to prevent or kill fungal diseases like powdery mildew. They’re often applied after harvest to keep produce mold-free on its way to market. That’s likely why fungicide concentrations were so high on some samples – higher than other pesticides applied earlier in the growing season. This year‚ EWG determined that 75 percent of all conventional fresh produce sampled had residues of potentially harmful pesticides. But for items on the Dirty Dozen‚ a whopping 95 percent of samples contained pesticides. “Everyone – adults and kids – should eat more fruits and vegetables‚ whether organic or not‚” said EWG Senior Scientist Alexa Friedman‚ Ph.D. “But consumers concerned about pesticide exposure can use the suite of materials in EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce to make the best choices for them and their families.” EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce analyzes data from tests conducted by the Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration on 47‚510 samples of 46 fruits and vegetables. The USDA peels or scrubs and washes produce samples before they’re tested‚ whereas the FDA removes only dirt first. Even after these steps‚ the agencies’ tests still found traces of 254 pesticides in all fruits and vegetables analyzed – and 209 of these were on Dirty Dozen produce. Pesticides in Produce: 2024’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ and ‘Clean Fifteen’ Fruits and Vegetables Revealed in New Report Kale‚ collard‚ and mustard greens had the highest number of pesticides‚ with 103 individual chemicals.https://t.co/FQtbORvzzt — The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) March 22‚ 2024 EWG also produced a ‘Clean Fifteen’ list. “These 15 items had the lowest amounts of pesticide residues‚ according to EWG’s analysis of the most recent USDA data‚” EWG writes. The ‘Clean Fifteen’ includes: Carrots Sweet Potatoes Mangoes Mushrooms Watermelon Cabbage Kiwi Honeydew Melon Asparagus Sweet Peas (frozen) Papaya Onions Pineapple Sweet Corn Avocados “A small amount of sweet corn‚ papaya and summer squash sold in the United States is produced from genetically modified seeds. Buy organic varieties of these crops if you want to avoid genetically modified produce‚” EWG noted. Strawberries‚ leafy greens‚ grapes and green beans are just a few items on the EWG's "Dirty Dozen" list for 2024. https://t.co/eVTiHmdhL4 — Salon (@Salon) March 22‚ 2024 From The Defender: Beyond fungicides‚ testing also turned up the neonicotinoids acetamiprid and imidacloprid‚ which harm bees and other pollinators and have been associated with damage to the development of children’s nervous systems. Testing also revealed the pyrethroid insecticides cypermethrin and bifenthrin. While there are fewer studies on these pesticides‚ existing research suggests they may also harm children’s brains. More than 1 in 10 pear samples tested positive for diphenylamine‚ which is currently banned in the European Union over cancer concerns. Most of the pesticides detected in the Dirty Dozen are legal‚ but one exception is acephate‚ an organophosphate insecticide that is essentially prohibited for use on green beans but is still found on them. One sample tested positive for levels 500 times the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) legal limit. EWG found that nearly 75% of non-organic fruits and vegetables tested were contaminated with pesticides.