Once again the Environmental Working Group (EWG) seeks to perpetuate its myth of dangerous fruit dangerous, they say, because of trace amounts of pesticides found on them. Although their list of the most dangerous fruits garners wide attention, there seems to be little attention paid to the science or lack thereof in this listing.
While apples, according to the EWG, carry the largest dose of pesticides, no one has demonstrated that apple consumption is associated with any health deficit whatever. Further, even the EWG itself admits that eating even the supposedly most contaminated fruits is healthier than avoiding those fruits.
ACSH has noted repeatedly that the traces of pesticides that may be found on fruits and vegetables are of such a minute quantity that they should pose no concern to consumers. Indeed, we have pointed out that while there is a great hue and cry about synthetic pesticides, little attention is paid to the natural carcinogens and toxins produced by plants themselves could these be even more important? For example, apples naturally contain quercetin glycosides, which are rodent carcinogens, but it s really a stretch to think that anyone will get cancer because they eat apples!
ACSH s Dr. Ruth Kava comments This is the ninth year that EWG has foisted this list on the public yet they have never demonstrated that their advice has benefitted anyone except the organic foods industry.
