Apples move to top of 'Dirty Dozen' list

The Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based consumer watchdog organization, released its 2011 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides this morning.

As usual, it’s not great news.

The Dirty Dozen list includes the 12 fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residues, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. The Clean 15 is a list of the least contaminated foods out of those tested.

And what did they find this time?

Apples, ranked as the fourth most contaminated produce item last year, jumped to the top of the Dirty Dozen list this year, not a fine fate for one of Washington’s most valuable crops.

Also new this year is the herb cilantro, which didn’t make the Dirty Dozen, but was the 13th most contaminated produce item.

If you want to avoid pesticide residues, you should buy organic — not conventionally grown — versions of the Dirty Dozen foods, according to the EWG.

Can’t you just wash the pesticides off?

Well, apparently it’s not quite that easy. If it were, why would care about this, right?

USDA residue data pertain to foods as they are typically eaten, meaning washed, rinsed or peeled, according to the EWG.

While many of the Clean 15 foods are peeled, every food on the Dirty Dozen list is typically eaten unpeeled, including popular fruits such as strawberries, grapes and blueberries.

There are exceptions: Conventionally grown mushrooms, also new to the list were found to be low in pesticides.

See where your favorite foods rank by viewing the full list at www.foodnews.org, where you also can print out a free, wallet-size guide to the lists for handy reference.

And, now, the winners … and losers are:

Dirty Dozen

1. Apples

2. Celery

3. Strawberries

4. Peaches

5. Spinach

6. Nectarines, imported

7. Grapes, imported

8. Sweet bell peppers

9. Potatoes

10. Blueberries, domestic