Apples found to carry most pesticides among `dirty dozen` foods

An environmental group has singled out Apples as being the biggest carrier of insecticides. For the second year in a row, apples topped the Environmental Working Group’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ list, which identified the most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables in the US. Last year, apples knocked celery off the top spot, which this year ranks as the second biggest offender. Sweet bell peppers were listed third in the line, according to the New York Daily News. In the 8th edition of the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, researchers added kale and collard greens, which were also found to carry a highly toxic organophosphate insecticide, a toxin for the nervous system. To come up with the rankings, the group analyzed residue testing data from the US Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration. Nectarines, blueberries, plums and cantaloupe were from both domestic and imported sources. Meanwhile, a report from the European Food Safety Authority published last year identified grapes, bell peppers, aubergines, peas and wheat as carrying the most pesticides across Europe. The top pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables include: 1. Apples 2. Celery 3. Sweet bell peppers 4. Peaches 5. Strawberries 6. Nectarines-imported 7. Grapes 8. Spinach 9. Lettuce 10. Cucumbers 11. Blueberries-domestic 12. Potatoes