Dear EarthTalk: What is the most effective way to remove pesticide residues from the fruits and vegetables I buy at the supermarket?
—RLJ, Kansas City, Kansas
August 23. For decades, pesticides were an essential tool for farmers to ensure their crops were not overrun by weeds or eaten by pests. As a result, pesticides are still widely used today, even though pesticide residues still pose many health risks to people who eat fruits and vegetables.
It is worth noting that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set limits on the amount of pesticide residues in produce – called “tolerances” – to ensure that people are not likely to be affected by harmful “persistent organic pollutants” (POPs) such as glyphosate and atrazine.
However, it is important that you take care of cleaning the products individually to further protect your personal health and safety.
A recent report by the American Chemical Society analyzed data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). It found that 20 percent of 59 different fruit and vegetable categories pose significant health risks to consumers despite current pesticide limits.
The researchers developed new methods to detect and remove pesticide residues in produce because they found that conventional methods for cleaning produce were insufficient.
How deep does it go?
In particular, the report suggests that pesticides penetrate the food through the surface of the fruit, which may make washing less effective.
Further research is needed to fully determine the risks and impacts of current pesticide limits. Regardless, all products should be thoroughly cleaned before consumption.
There are differing opinions about the best methods for removing pesticide residues from produce, and no method is 100 percent effective.
Rinsing fruits and vegetables is somewhat helpful in removing dirt and germs, but soaking fruits and vegetables in warm vinegar or salt solution may be better; however, some sources claim that chemicals can form more complex, equally dangerous chemical compounds through contact with these solutions. Therefore, always rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly after soaking. Finally, peeling or cooking fruits and vegetables can be very effective in removing residue, but nutrients are lost in the process.
Of course, you can only significantly reduce your exposure to synthetic chemicals in food if you buy organic food, as organic food is not grown using dangerous pesticides. You may have to pay a little more, but isn’t your health and peace of mind worth it?
CONTACTS: Advice from the National Pesticide Information Center on removing pesticide residues, http://npic.orst.edu/faq/fruitwash.html; Recent scientific report finds that recommended residue limits are still too high, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/08/clean-fruit-vegetables-pesticides; How to remove pesticide residues from your products, https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/how-to-series-removing-pesticide-residue.
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