What is the Best Produce to Buy Organic? (July 2009)

To buy or not buy organic, that is the question. Produce are the foods that can contain trace levels of pesticides. According to the FDA’s pesticide Residue Monitoring Program, which collects and tests random samples of domestic and imported foods, fruits and vegetables it is known that they have 54.9 percent of fruit and 23.8 percent of vegetables. Studies have shown certain types of produce are consistently high in pesticide levels, which may make varieties a suitable alternative.

Organic produce cannot be genetically modified, irradiated, or cloned. They must be grown or produced without chemical pesticides or fertilizers, and in livestock without the use of antibiotics or hormones.

The recommended produce to buy organic include: strawberries, cherries, apples, grapes, nectarines, peaches, spinach, celery, carrots, lettuce (all varieties), bell peppers, and potatoes.