Getty
Researchers have issued a new contamination warning after finding disturbing amounts of pesticides on a range of fruit and vegetables.
The Environmental Working Group has released a list of the fresh supermarket items that tested with highest number of pesticides.
The American researchers highlighted the 12 foods that recorded the highest levels – and the top three fruit and vegetables have already caused a stir on social media.
Strawberries had the most pesticides, closely followed by spinach – but it’s kale, which came in third, which concerned many, given the amount of consumers who eat the cabbage for its many health benefits.
Says the EWG: ‘92 percent of kale samples had two or more pesticide residues detected’ adding that a single sample of the same kale could yield as many as 18 kinds of residue.
The entire list of fruits and vegetables with the most pesticides are:
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Kale
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Grapes
- Peaches
- Cherries
- Pears
- Tomatoes
- Celery
- Potatoes
But it’s not all bad news, with the EWG also identifying the top 15 fruits and veggies which had ‘few, if any’ pesticides.
The best pesticide-free fruit and veggies are:
- Avocados
- Sweet corn
- Pineapples
- Cabbages
- Onions
- Peas (frozen)
- Papayas
- Asparagus
- Mangoes
- Eggplants
- Honeydew melons
- Kiwi fruit
- Rockmelon
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
This article originally appeared on New Idea Food
You might also like:
12 trouble-free best value vegies
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
