US: Critics of 'Dirty Dozen' list await reply
The report titled Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce, released by EWG in mid-June, is produced annually and highlights produce with high pesticide residue levels. It names the 12 fruits and vegetables with the highest levels of pesticides on what it calls the “Dirty Dozen” list.
“Our shopper's guide to pesticides in produce gives consumers easy, affordable ways to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables while avoiding most of the bug killers, fungicides and other chemicals in produce and other foods,” said Ken Cook, president of EWG. The report says EWG analyzes U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration pesticide residue tests to arrive at its findings. But several organizations have called into question the ultimate effect of the list.
Chief among what critics believe is wrong about the “Dirty Dozen” list is that EWG singles out fruits and vegetables commonly associated with pesticides and labels them 'Dirty,” while at the same time encouraging consumers to eat more fruits and vegetables, regardless of whether they are on the list. While EWG acknowledges that consuming fruits and vegetables with traces of pesticides is better than consuming no fruits and vegetables, critics believe EWG's message ultimately confuses consumers about adopting healthy eating habits.
“The U.S. government and international health officials agree that the nutritional benefits of eating fruits and vegetables far outweigh any risk posed by low levels of pesticide residues,” Bryan Silbermann, president and CEO of Produce Marketing Association, said in a press release last month.
So while EWG wishes to provide consumers with information to make healthier choices regarding fresh produce, critics claim the message they send may actually discourage consumers from making healthy food purchases.
The SafeFruitsandVeggies.com blog, a site which has taken issue with the EWG list, voiced some of its concerns shortly after the list was released. On a June 27th post, the site's authors noted that while the EWG report calls out fruits and vegetables which are “doused in toxic pesticides,” it also recommends consumers should eat those same fruits and vegetables.
In light of that, the post posed the following question to EWG: “Since you recommend that people consume conventionally grown produce, then you must agree that they are safe, correct?”
Most recently, the site called out EWG for failing to address those concerns. On a July 17th post titled Strangely Silent, the site's authors once again asked for clarification, writing, “It's been a couple of weeks since we sent the Environmental Working Group our blog with a list of questions and/or clarifications about their 'Dirty Dozen' list.” They went on to note that, “EWG has remained strangely silent and has not answered or addressed a single question.”
In the absence of a reply, the site, along with many in the produce industry, remain convinced the list ultimately sends the wrong message.
“At a time when government is urging increased consumption of fruits and vegetables,” pointed out Bryan Silbermann, “our industry will not tolerate negligence and sensationalism that erode consumers' confidence in the safety and wholesomeness of fresh produce.”