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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that every year one out of six Americans gets sick from foodborne illness. Of those people, 128,000 are hospitalized, and thousands die. Reported outbreaks represent just the tip of the iceberg. Due to public concern about this issue, in 2009 the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) compiled a list of foods regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that are most likely to infect people with foodborne diseases, such as salmonella, Escherichia coli, and listeria monocytogenes. Experts still consider this a relatively reliable list of the riskiest food items.

The CSPI report analyzed only those foodborne illness outbreaks that have been definitively linked to FDA-regulated products between 1990 and 2006.

The 10 foods regulated by the U.S. FDA (1990-2006) which are most prone to contamination:

• Leafy Greens: 363 outbreaks involving 13,568 reported cases of illness
• Eggs: 352 outbreaks involving 11,163 reported cases of illness
• Tuna: 268 outbreaks involving 2,341 reported cases of illness
• Oysters: 132 outbreaks involving 3,409 reported cases of illness
• Potatoes: 108 outbreaks involving 3,659 reported cases of illness
• Cheese: 83 outbreaks involving 2,761 reported cases of illness
• Ice Cream: 74 outbreaks involving 2,594 reported cases of illness
• Tomatoes: 31 outbreaks involving 3,292 reported cases of illness
• Sprouts: 31 outbreaks involving 2,022 reported cases of illness
• Berries: 25 outbreaks involving 3,397 reported cases of illness

Illnesses caused by the above foods may be as minor as stomach cramps and diarrhea for a day or two, or as serious as kidney failure or death. Pathogens most commonly associated with meat and poultry, such as Salmonella and E. coli O157:H73, also have been repeatedly linked to these foods. In fact, Salmonella was identified as the cause in 33 % of the outbreaks from the FDA Top Ten. Other pathogens causing outbreaks associated with these foods include Campylobacter, Scombrotoxin, Norovirus, and Vibrio.

Why so much contamination?

1. Leafy greens (spinach, romaine lettuce, arugula, etc.): Leafy greens were responsible for 24% of all food-related outbreaks between 1990-2009. They are often grown on large fields which are susceptible to E. coli contamination from grazing animals and their manure or contaminated irrigation water. Instead of buying pre-bagged lettuce which includes leaves culled from thousands of different heads of lettuce, any of which could be contaminated, buy one head of lettuce or a three-pack of romaine hearts and prepare it yourself.
2. Eggs: According to the CSPI, eggs were responsible for 11,163 foodborne illnesses between 1990-2009, mostly due to salmonella. The problem is that eggs can easily become contaminated while still inside the chicken, if the hen is infected. They can also become infected in the hen house. To protect yourself, small children, and elderly adults in your home, always refrigerate eggs as soon as possible. Add eggs, other dairy products, and meat items to your grocery cart last and go directly home afterward. Avoid undercooking eggs when preparing them over-easy, soft-boiled, or poached. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that eggs be cooked until the yolk and white are firm and egg dishes should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°. Another way to be safe is to choose pasteurized liquid eggs, because the heat from the pasteurization process kills any bacteria and viruses.
3. Tuna: Associated with high mercury levels and foodborne diseases. According to the CSPI report, fresh tuna has been linked with 269 outbreaks involving 2,341 reported cases of illness between 1990-2009 and is the third most contaminated food. Tuna can be contaminated with a toxin known as scombrotoxin, which can form if fish is not kept cool enough after harvesting, during processing, or shipping. Unfortunately, cooking tuna to a safe internal temperature doesn’t eliminate the presence of this toxin once formed. To decrease your risk, purchase tuna from a reputable seafood supplier, and store raw tuna at a temperature of 40° or less until just before cooking.
4. Oysters: According to the CSPI list, between 1990-2009, oysters accounted for 132 outbreaks involving 3,409 cases of illness, mostly attributed to two sources: norovirus (which is generally spread by contaminated water or surfaces) and vibrio (a dangerous bacteria in the cholera family). Always follow precautionary measures, especially when eating oysters raw. Only eat oysters from the Pacific Northwest or New England, colder waters where bacteria can’t survive. Avoid oysters from the Gulf Coast region or any from warmer waters. When served or sold raw, oysters should be marked with the region of origin. If it’s unclear or not indicated, ask your waiter or store’s fish monger. To be safe, cook all seafood before consuming and avoid raw oysters, when possible.
5. Potatoes: Responsible for 108 outbreaks involving 3,659 reported cases of illness between 1990-2009 due most often to salmonella and E. coli. The problem is not potatoes themselves, but the dishes they are used in. The most common culprit is potato salad, which people often don’t store properly. Potato salad should be transported in a cooler with ice packs or kept in the refrigerator until just before serving. If you plan to serve it at a buffet, serve it on ice. Use store-bought mayonnaise instead of homemade, if you’re going to transport and serve it, since the former is less likely to get bacteria. A similar problem occurs with mashed potatoes and baked potatoes. If they are allowed to sit around warm, the risk of foodborne illness increases. Keep them at a hot enough temperature, eat them quickly, or refrigerate them.
6. Cheese: Accounted for 83 outbreaks involving 2,761 reported cases of foodborne illness from 1990-2009. Avoid unpasteurized and raw milk cheeses which are often sold in specialty shops, since many cases of foodborne illness are due to consumption of unpasteurized cheese. Read the package label to determine if the cheese has been pasteurized. Store cheese in the refrigerator either in the original bag or in an air-tight food storage container. Soft cheeses like Feta, Brie, Camembert, etc. and shredded cheeses should not be left out or stored at room temperature for more than 2 hours; discard if left out past 2 hours. An additional concern regarding soft cheeses is that they can become contaminated with listeria, a type of bacteria, after the pasteurization process. Since these types of cheeses are not usually cooked prior to serving, the CDC recommends that pregnant women avoid consuming them, since infection can be harmful to the fetus and lead to serious complications.
7. Ice Cream: More than half the time, ice cream that causes foodborne illness is associated with private homes and homemade ice cream made with raw eggs and/or raw milk. According to the CSPI, from 1990-2009, ice cream accounted for 74 outbreaks involving 2,594 illnesses between 1990-2009. To protect yourself, make ice cream with pasteurized eggs, available in the shell or liquid form. Pregnant women should avoid both homemade and soft-serve ice cream, because listeria is hardy, able to live on metal, and thus thrive inside soft ice cream machines, which are impossible to clean effectively.
8. Tomatoes: Unlike other raw produce, which is usually exposed to contaminants during the handling process, tomatoes can be contaminated at just about any point from the field to manufacturer, which makes them particularly risky. In fact, tomatoes are most often contaminated as they grow, when salmonella enters a tomato plant through its roots, flower, or small cracks in the skin or stem. According to the CSPI list, tomatoes accounted for 31 outbreaks involving 3,292 reported cases of illness from 1990-2009. Tomatoes can be contaminated in the field or by cross-contamination during harvest, washing, transport or in the home. Even cut tomatoes support the growth of salmonella and other pathogens. To reduce your risk of exposure, always wash tomatoes well before use, and slice them on a disinfected cutting board, not one that’s used for meat or dairy. Promptly refrigerate any leftover sliced tomatoes. 
9. Raw sprouts: Although a nutritious addition to salads and sandwiches, the FDA reported 31 outbreaks involving 2,022 cases of illness from 1990-2009 involving both salmonella and E. coli, so they remain a concern for food safety experts. Avoid raw sprouts. The sprout industry has been unable to ensure sprout safety because of the way they are grown. One problem is that contamination may involve the seed itself. Sprout seeds can contain pathogens. If they do, the pathogens multiply during the sprouting process. If you choose to consume them raw, look for signs that they have been improperly handled, such as wilted or soggy sprouts, or any signs of spoilage. Wash them thoroughly and refrigerate them once you get home.
10. Berries (especially strawberries and imported raspberries): Have caused 25 outbreaks with more than 3,300 sicknesses between 1990-2009, mostly due to cyclospora, a parasitic illness of the intestines. Berries can be exposed to germs and bacteria during processing and handling by an infected worker. Whether picking berries in the field or buying them at a grocery store, it’s important to keep them cold, get them home, and refrigerate them within 2 hours. Place berries in their own separate sealed container in the refrigerator and store on a shelf above raw meats to avoid cross-contamination. Before you eat them, thoroughly wash them under cool running water.
11. Meat and poultry: Though not on the CSPI list since the FDA doesn’t regulate them, meat and poultry are included on the CDC list of commonly contaminated foods. Undercooked meats account for about 20%-30% of foodborne illnesses reported annually. The most common pathogen found in beef is E. coli O157:H7, while salmonella serovars are more common in poultry. Always use a thermometer when cooking meat to determine whether it has reached a safe internal temperature. Beef, pork, lamb, and veal steaks, chops and roasts should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145°; ground meats (beef, pork, lamb, veal) should be cooked to 160°; chicken and turkey, including ground varieties, should be cooked to 165° before consumption.

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All of us have the right to know if our food has been genetically engineered. Unfortunately, the U.S. government does not require labeling of GE foods or ingredients to enable shoppers to make informed decisions. However, more than 60 other nations, including France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Russia, China and the United Kingdom, do require GE labeling (Center for Food Safety, 2013a)!

What crops are genetically engineered?
Genetically engineered crops include corn, canola, soybean, sugar beets, and cotton. They are typically used to make ingredients that are added to various food products, such as cornstarch in soups and sauces, corn syrup as a general purpose sweetener, and cottonseed oil, canola oil, and soybean oil in mayonnaise, salad dressings, cereals, breads, and snack foods.

More than 75% of food in supermarkets is genetically engineered or contains GE ingredients (Center for Food Safety 2013b). To avoid GE ingredients, look for the 4 most common GE foods and ingredients:

• Field corn and corn-derived ingredients: The U.S. is the world’s largest corn producer. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, American farmers planted more corn last year than any other crop, covering 95 million acres (USDA 2013a). Some 90% of corn grown in the U.S. is GE (USDA 2013b). Most of the crop is field corn cultivated for animal feed, but about 12% is processed into corn flour, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, masa, corn meal, and corn oil that end up in foods consumed by people (EPA 2013). Consumers should assume that those ingredients in processed food are GE. Less than 1% of the American corn crop is sweet corn, also known as table corn (Iowa State University 2011).
• Soybeans and soybean-derived ingredients: Soybeans are the second most planted American crop, covering more than 76 million acres last year (USDA 2013a). About 93% of soybeans grown in the U.S. have been genetically engineered (USDA 2013b). Soybean-based products and soybean-derived ingredients are common on supermarket shelves.  Consumers should assume that products whose labels disclose the presence of soy proteins, soybean oil, soy milk, soy flour, soy sauce, tofu, or soy lecithin have been made with GE ingredients, unless they are certified organic or GE-free.
• Sugar: About 55% of sugar produced in the U.S. comes from sugar beets, 95% of which have been genetically engineered (USDA 2013c). If a product label does not specify that it has been made with “pure cane” sugar, it most probably contains GE beet sugar.
• Vegetable oils: Consumers should assume that vegetable oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil and corn oil are GE. About 90% of American oilseed production is soybeans, which are almost entirely GE (USDA 2013b). The remaining 10% of oilseed crops are cottonseed, sunflower seed, canola, rapeseed, and peanut. Canola and cottonseed oil primarily come from GE varieties. More than 90% of corn oil is made from GE corn.

• Papaya: More than 75% of Hawaiian papaya is GE to resist the ringspot virus (Hawaiian Papaya Industry Association 2013).
• Zucchini and yellow summer squash: A few varieties of squash are GE. Without adequate labeling, it’s hard to spot GE varieties. If you want to be sure, opt for organic varieties.
• Sweet corn: Most sweet corn sold in supermarkets and farm stands is not grown from GE seeds, but a few varieties are, so it’s best to buy organic sweet corn.
• Salmon, flax, plums, potato, radicchio, rice, tomato and wheat: Many other GE foods may be coming soon to a grocery store near you. These have either been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or are being considered for approval: salmon, flax, plums, potato, radicchio, rice, tomato and wheat (FDA 2014).
• The FDA is considering a producer’s application for GE AquAdvantage salmon: Normal salmon produce growth hormones only in summer months. These fish produce them year-round and grow at twice the normal rate. If the FDA approves AquAdvantage salmon, it will be the first GE animal available in American supermarkets.
• Apples: The FDA faces two other controversial decisions: whether to approve apples genetically modified to not to turn brown when sliced, peeled, or bruised and new varieties of corn and soybean genetically modified to resist the toxic herbicide 2,4-D (USDA 2013e, 2013f).

Reasons to avoid eating genetically engineered ingredients include environmental and human hazards:

• Unintended harm to other organisms: Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces crystal proteins lethal to insect larvae. These crystal protein genes have been transferred into corn, enabling corn to produce its own pesticides against insects such as the European corn borer. Studies indicate that pollen from B.t. corn causes high mortality rates in monarch butterfly caterpillars. Although monarch caterpillars consume milkweed plants, not corn, if pollen from B.t. corn is blown by the wind onto milkweed plants in nearby fields, the caterpillars could eat the pollen and perish. Unfortunately, B.t. toxins kill many species of insect larvae; it is not possible to design a B.t. toxin that would only kill crop-damaging pests and remain harmless to all other insects.
• The federal government requires strict safety evaluations before new drugs go on the market but does not mandate similar safety studies for GE crops: Testing for carcinogenicity, harm to fetuses, or risks over the long term to animals and humans is not required for GE foods by the government. Few studies have been conducted by independent scientific institutions.
• Reduced effectiveness of pesticides: Just as some mosquitoes developed resistance to the now-banned pesticide DDT, insects may become resistant to B.t. or other crops that have been genetically-modified to produce their own pesticides.
• Superweeds and more toxic pesticides: Genetically modified, herbicide-tolerant crops have helped to create “superweeds,” pest plants that have mutated to survive herbicides. More than 61 million acres of American farmland are infested with Roundup-resistant weeds (Farm Industry News 2013). A 2012 survey conducted by the marketing research group Stratus Agri Marketing found that nearly half of American farmers reported finding superweeds in their fields (Stratus Agri Marketing 2013). To control these hardy plants, many farmers have resorted to older, more toxic herbicides like dicamba, and 2,4-D. Both dicamba and 2,4-D are known to cause reproductive problems and birth defects and pose increased risks of cancer.
• Increased pesticide use: Herbicide resistance has led to more, not less, herbicide use. According to estimates published in 2012, herbicide-tolerant crops that stimulated superweed growth caused farmers to use 527 million pounds more herbicide between 1996-2011 than would have been the case if those farmers had planted only non-GE crops (Benbrook 2012).
• Cross-contamination and gene transfer to non-target plant species: According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), a non-profit group that records the global status of biotech crops, almost 70 million hectares of GE crops were planted in the U.S. in 2012 (ISAAA 2012), up from 64 million hectares in 2009 (ISAAA 2009). As GE crops proliferate, many organic farmers must struggle to prevent cross-contamination of their crops by GE seed or pollen spread by wind, insects, floods, and machinery. Unintended GE contamination has become a major issue for organic growers hoping to sell their crops in places that strictly regulate or ban GE foods. It has been estimated that potential lost income for farmers growing organic corn may total $90 million annually (Union of Concerned Scientists 2001).
• Human health risks: Scientists have not determined whether GE food poses risks to human health. However, introducing foreign genes into food plants may have an unexpected and negative impact on the digestive tract, nutrient absorption, metabolism, and overall health. Consuming GE foods also increases our exposure to herbicide and pesticide residues, many of which are neurotoxic, carcinogenetic, associated with behavioral effects, birth defects, genetic mutations, and reproductive problems.
• Extensive testing of GM foods has not been done to avoid the possibility of harm to consumers who have food allergies. 
• Increased risk of allergenicity and autoimmune disorders: Many children in the US and Europe have developed life-threatening allergies to peanuts and other foods. The incidence and prevalence of gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, and various autoimmune disorders has been increasing in both human and animal populations in the U.S. during the last 20 years. It is possible that introducing a gene into a plant may create a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. 

Until Congress or state governments enact mandatory labeling of GE ingredients in food, how can American shoppers avoid food with GE ingredients?

Buy organic: National and state organic certification rules do not allow GE  foods to be labeled “organic.”  When you buy organic, you buy food free not only of synthetic pesticides but also GE ingredients:

Buy food certified as “Non-GMO* Project Verified:” The non-profit organization Non-GMO Project operates a detailed, voluntary certification process so that food producers can test and verify that, to the best of their knowledge, they have avoided using GE ingredients in their products. The Non-GMO Project is the only organization offering independent verification for GMO products in the U.S. and Canada (Non-GMO Project 2014):

Use “EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Avoiding GE Food” to find foods made without ingredients likely to be genetically engineered. Eating only organic and certified GE-free food is not an option for some people. EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Avoiding GE Food helps consumers find products made without ingredients that are likely to be genetically engineered and decide which products are most important to buy organic or certified GE-free.

[Source: “List of Countries That Banned Genetically Modified Food.” 02/09/15 (www.naturalrevolution.org)]

Contact your state and federal representatives and demand that all foods be clearly labeled if they contain or were developed with any GE ingredients.

*GMO: “genetically modified organism,” a term interchangeable with “genetically engineered” or “GE.”

*Genetically modified (GM) foods: Foods produced from crops that have had specific changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. The enhancement of desired traits has traditionally been undertaken through breeding, but conventional plant breeding methods can be very time consuming and are often not very accurate. Genetic engineering, however, can create plants with the exact desired trait very rapidly and with great accuracy.

References:

1. Benbrook, C. (2009) Impacts of genetically engineered crops on pesticide use in the U.S.: the first thirteen years. (Source: http://www.organic-center.org/reportfiles/GE13YearsReport.pdf). 01/06/14.
2. Benbrook, C. (2012) Impacts of genetically engineered crops on pesticide use in the U.S. – the first sixteen years. Environmental Sciences Europe 2012, 24:24 
3. Center for Food Safety (2013a) International Labeling Laws. (Source: http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/issues/976/ge-food-labeling/international-labeling-laws# ). 01/07/14.
4. Center for Food Safety (2013b) About Genetically Engineered Foods. (Source: http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/issues/311/ge-foods/about-ge-foods). 01/07/14.
5. Environmental Protection Agency (2013) Major Crops Grown in the United States. (Source: http://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/ag101/cropmajor.html). 12/03/13.
6. Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) 2014 Shopper’s Guide to Avoiding Genetically Engineered Food. (Source: www.ewg.org › Research). 02/19/14.
7. Farm Industry News (2013) Glyphosate-resistant weed problem extends to more species, more farms. (Source: http://farmindustrynews.com/herbicides/glyphosate-resistant-weed-problem-extends-more-species-more-farm). 12/08/13.
8. Food and Drug Administration (2014). Completed Consultations on Bioengineered Foods. (Source: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fcn/fcnNavigation.cfm?rpt=bioListing&displayAll=false&page=1). 01/09/14.
9. Hawaiian Papaya Industry Association (2013) Hawaii Grown Papayas: The Rainbow Papaya Story. (Source: http://www.hawaiipapaya.com/rainbow.html). 11/25/13.
10. International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) (2009) Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2009 – The First Fourteen Years, 1996 to 2009. (Source: http://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/41/executivesummary/default.asp). 01/07/14.
11. International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) (2012) Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2012. (Source: http://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/44/executivesummary/default.asp). 01/07/14.
12. Iowa State University (2011) Corn Production: Common Corn Questions and Answers. (Source: http://www.agronext.iastate.edu/corn/corn-qna.html). 01/07/14.
13. “List of Countries That Banned Genetically Modified Food.” 02/09/15 (www.naturalrevolution.org)
14. Non-GMO Project (2014) The “Non-GMO Project Verified” Seal. (Source: http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/understanding-our-seal/ ). 01/07/14.
15. Stratus Agri Marketing (2013) Glyphosate Resistant Weeds – Intensifying. (Source: http://www.stratusresearch.com/blog07.htm). 01/07/14
16. Union of Concerned Scientists (2001) Union of Concerned Scientists Comments to the Environmental Protection Agency on the renewal of BT-Crop Registration. Docket OPP-00678B. (Source: http://web.peacelink.it/tematiche/ecologia/bt_renewal_ucs.pdf). 01/06/14.
17. Union of Concerned Scientists (2009) Genetic Engineering has Failed to Significantly Boost U.S. Crop Yields Despite Biotech Industry Claims. (Source: http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/ge-fails-to-increase-yields-0219.html) 01/07/14.
18. U.S. Department of Agriculture (2013a) National Statistics by Subject. (Source: http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_Subject/index.php). 12/03/13.
19. U.S. Department of Agriculture (2013b) Adoption of genetically engineered crops in the U.S. (Source: http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/adoption-of-genetically-engineered-crops-in-the-us.aspx#.Up5PL40h0jU). 12/03/13.
20. U.S. Department of Agriculture (2013c) US sugar production. (Source: http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/sugar-sweeteners/background.aspx#.UpN_gI0h0jU). 11/25/13.
21. U.S. Department of Agriculture (2013d) Organic 101: Can GMOs be used in organic products. (Source: http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/05/17/organic-101-can-gmos-be-used-in-organic-products/). 12/08/13.
22. U.S. Department of Agriculture (2013e) Dow AgroSciences Petitions (09-233-01p, 09-349-01p, and 11-234-01p) for Determinations of Nonregulated Status for 2,4-D-Resistant Corn and Soybean Varieties. Draft Environmental Impact Statement—2013. (Source: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/24d_deis.pdf). 01/09/14.
23. U.S. Department of Agriculture (2013ef) Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc.; Availability of Plant Pest Risk Assessment and Environmental Assessment for Determination of Nonregulated Status of Apples Genetically Engineered To Resist Browning. [Docket No. APHIS–2012–0025] Federal Register 78:251 (December 31, 2013) p 79658. (Source: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/fedregister/USDA_20131104.pdf). 01/09/14.

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The Environmental Working Group Shopper’s Guide helps consumers to enjoy the health benefits of fruits and vegetables with less exposure to pesticides

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) publishes an annual rating of conventional foods with the most and least pesticide residues. Since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not sufficiently warned Americans about the risks of pesticide exposure and ways to reduce pesticides in their diets, EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce was designed to fill this void. It translates an extensive database of pesticide tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on food crops into a user-friendly tool that empowers Americans to reduce their exposures to pesticide. This year’s guide draws from 32,000 produce samples tested by USDA and FDA scientists who detected pesticides on 65%, or about two of every three, samples!

EWG’s analysis of government tests has found sharp differences in the number and concentrations of pesticides measured on various fruits and vegetables. Consumers can reduce their intake of such pesticides by avoiding Dirty Dozen crops or purchasing organically-produced fruits and vegetables instead.

The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 marked dramatic progress in the federal government’s efforts to protect Americans from dangerous pesticides. This legislation, which EWG played a major role in pushing through Congress, required EPA to assess pesticides due to their particular dangers to children and ensure that pesticides posed a “reasonable certainty of no harm” to children or any other high-risk group. The law is credited with reducing risks posed by pesticide residues on food. It forced American agribusiness to shift away from some of the most hazardous pesticides. But worrisome chemicals are not completely out of the food supply. Residues of many are still detected on some foods.

The Consumer Right to Know provision of the 1996 law required that EPA inform the public about possible hazards to their health brought about by consuming pesticides with their food. It ordered EPA to publish and distribute in grocery stores plain-English brochures that discussed the risks and benefits of pesticides on food. The brochures were to offer recommendations, so shoppers could reduce their dietary exposures to pesticides. The EPA published a brochure in 1999, but failed to detail the actual risks of pesticide exposures and give consumers clear information about foods with the most pesticide residues to help them reduce their exposures. EPA stopped publishing it altogether in 2007. Today, EPA offers some information about pesticides and food on its website, but does not list foods likely to contain the highest amounts of pesticide residues nor those that pose the greatest dangers to human health. It’s general advice is basically, ‘Wash your fruits and vegetables.’ Most importantly, the EPA does not offer the “right to know” information Congress required on behalf of consumers in 1996: how to avoid pesticide exposures while still eating a healthy diet.

Since the EPA has not complied with the Congressional mandate in full for more than a decade, EWG publishes the annual guide to help people eat healthy and reduce their exposure to pesticides in produce. The EWG’s Shopper’s Guide helps consumers select conventionally-raised fruits and vegetables that tend to test low for pesticide residues. When consumers want foods whose conventional versions test high for pesticides, they can choose organic.

Health risks of pesticide exposure: According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the health risks of pesticide exposure through food, water, or air are not yet clear. While USDA says that pesticide residues do not pose a safety concern, EWG notes that they are associated with many health risks, including cancer, brain and behavioral changes, and hormone disruption.

Children have unique susceptibilities to pesticide residues’ potential toxicity: Parents’ concerns have been validated by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which in 2012 issued an important report that cited research linking pesticide exposures in early life and “pediatric cancers, decreased cognitive function, and behavioral problems.” The organization advised its members to urge parents to consult “reliable resources that provide information on the relative pesticide content of various fruits and vegetables,” such as EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.

European regulators act more quickly than their American counterparts to restrict common produce pesticides:

• For years, Europe has questioned the safety and ecological dangers of a group of pesticides known as neonicotinoids, chemicals suspected of disrupting human brain development and killing honeybees and other beneficial insects. Neonicotinoid pesticides were developed as substitutes for older and more neurotoxic insecticides, primarily organophosphates and carbamates, and have been widely used by American, European, and other growers over the past decade. USDA testing has found neonicotinoid residues on about 20% of all produce samples and as much as 60% of broccoli, cauliflower, grapes, spinach and summer squash. Scientific research has suggested that neonicotinoids could harm children’s brain development and might contribute to the collapse of populations of honeybees and other pollinators. In response to these developments, European officials tightened their guidelines for allowable daily exposures to two neonicotinoid pesticides (EFSA 2013). Last December they declared a two-year moratorium on three neonicotinoids (European Commission 2013). Meanwhile, the U.S. EPA will soon require new cautionary language and instructions on the labels of neonicotinoid pesticides and are conducting a multi-year assessment of neonicotinoid toxicity, expected to conclude by 2018. Environmental advocates call EPA’s efforts slow and inadequate.
• In June 2012, the European Commission banned diphenylamine (DPA) on fruit raised in the 28 European Union member states and imposed tight restrictions on imported fruit. DPA, a “growth regulator” or antioxidant, is applied after harvest to most apples conventionally grown in the U.S. and some U.S.-grown pears, to prevent fruit skin from discoloring during months of cold storage. As of March, 2014, apples and pears imported into the European Union can contain no more than 0.1 part per million of DPA (EC 2013). In the U.S., DPA, a “growth regulator” or antioxidant, is applied to most conventional apples and some pears after harvest
• U.S. officials have not followed the Europeans in restricting either neonicotinoids or DPA. The EPA has not even studied the risks posed by DPA on apples since 1998.
  

EWG’s 2014 Dirty Dozen™: Includes apples, strawberries, grapes, celery, peaches, spinach, sweet bell peppers, imported nectarines, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and potatoes, foods containing many different pesticide residues and high concentrations of pesticides relative to other produce items:

• Apples were #1 on the list again this year. The pesticide diphenylamine, which was banned in Europe in 2012, was present on 80% of apples most recently tested.
• Imported snap peas, absent from last year’s list, were added to the list, ranking as the 11th “dirtiest” type of produce.
• Hot peppers, in 12th place in 2013, along with kale and collard greens were placed on a “Dirty Dozen Plus” list  of foods that don’t meet the “Dirty Dozen’s” criteria but still contain minimal amounts of insecticide.
• Every sample of imported nectarines and 99% of apple samples tested positive for at least one pesticide residue.
• The average potato had more pesticides by weight than any other food.
• A single grape sample contained 15 pesticides.
• Single samples of celery, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and strawberries showed 13 different pesticides apiece.

EWG’s 2014 Clean Fifteen™: Ranks produce least likely to contain pesticide residues, such as avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, cabbage, frozen sweet peas, onions, asparagus, mangoes, papayas, kiwis, eggplant, grapefruit, cantaloupe, cauliflower and sweet potatoes:

• Cauliflower made an appearance on the list, avocado jumped from No. 2 to No. 1, and mushrooms were the only item to drop off the list this year.
• Avocados were the cleanest: only 1% of avocado samples showed any detectable pesticides.
• 89% of pineapples, 82% of kiwi, 80% of papayas, 88% of mango and 61% of cantaloupe had no residues at all.
• No single fruit sample from the Clean Fifteen™ tested positive for more than 4 types of pesticides.
• Detecting multiple pesticide residues is extremely rare on Clean Fifteen™ vegetables. Only 5.5% of Clean Fifteen™ samples had two or more pesticides.

Dirty Dozen PLUS™: For the 3rd year, the Dirty Dozen™ has a “Plus” category to highlight 2 foods that contain trace levels of highly hazardous pesticides. Leafy greens – kale and collard greens – and hot peppers do not meet traditional Dirty Dozen™ ranking criteria but were frequently contaminated with insecticides that are toxic to the human nervous system. People who eat these foods should buy organic instead.

Dirty Dozen 2014:

Apples
Strawberries
Grapes
Celery
Peaches
Spinach
Sweet bell peppers
Nectarines (imported)
Cucumbers
Cherry tomatoes
Snap peas (imported)
Potatoes

Dirty Dozen Plus™ 2014: Leafy greens (kale, collard greens) and hot peppers

Clean Fifteen 2014:

Avocado
Sweet corn
Pineapple
Cabbage
Frozen sweet peas
Onions
Asparagus
Mango
Papaya
Kiwi
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Cantaloupe
Cauliflower
Sweet potatoes

Genetically engineered (GE) crops: Most processed food contains one or more ingredients derived from GE crops. But GE food is not often found in the produce section of American supermarkets. A small percentage of zucchini, yellow squash and sweet corn in grocery stores is GE. Most Hawaiian papaya is GE. Other GE foods are currently being tested and may eventually be approved by the USDA. Since U.S. law does not require labeling of GE produce, consumers who want to avoid GE crops should purchase organically-grown foods or items bearing the “Non-GMO Project Verified” label. EWG recommends that consumers check EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Avoiding GE Food to help them identify foods likely to contain GE ingredients.

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