Minimizing the negative ingestion of pesticides in our food has become a very important topic. The average adult needs to consume a minimum of 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 4 cups of vegetables each day. However the statistics are poor when it comes to the number of people who actual consume this.

In 2021 Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab (AAL), only 29.3% of Canadians buy enough to meet the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables.

The benefits of fruits and vegetables is primary to a healthy diet. The nutrition, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, hydration and fibre one gets from eating fruits and vegetables is a major macronutrient and micronutrient requirement.

Fruits and vegetable consumption has incredible benefit when it comes to prevention of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer and it is also an integral part of our digestive system and microbiome.

Every year the Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases their list of produce and pesticide ratings. The 2022 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ may help you navigate the produce section with its listing of the most and least pesticide-contaminated conventionally grown fruits and vegetables.

A 2017 study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that a baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) wash can completely remove residues of two pesticides from the surface of apples.  


Rinsing produce with tap water removes germs and also significantly reduces pesticide residues. But some pesticides persist on produce after getting doused under the faucet, raising health concerns about chronic, low-level exposure to the compounds, says Lili He, an analytical chemist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.


Recent studies have linked chronic, low-level pesticide exposure to hyperactivity in children, diabetes, and low sperm counts which can affect fertility. The health risks of pesticides vary depending on the type, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Some can effect the nervous system, others can cause cancer, and some disrupt hormone production.

If you really want to know the status of your produce you could purchase pesticide detection cards that can identify commonly used pesticides. The cards detect pesticides that fall into two general types based on their chemistry: carbamates and organophosphates.

Each card contains a white disk and a pink disk. The white disk is pressed onto the test area; after giving the chemicals in it time to react, the pink disk is pressed against the white disk so that a second reaction can occur.

The presence of pesticide residue is indicated by the degree to which the disk changes from white to blue. If the disk stays white, this indicates a high concentration of pesticide residue. If the disk turns blue, this indicates very little to no residue.

Luckily, there is an easier option for those not able to do the pesticide detection tests.

Studies showed that a 15 minute soak in a 1% baking soda solution removed 20% of one common pesticide from apples and 4.4% of another. Sodium bicarbonate degrades the pesticides, boosting the physical removal force of washing.


Make your own 1% baking soda solution to soak your produce

  • 2 teaspoons baking soda per 4 cups of water
  • Swirl your produce for 30 seconds (the produce should be submerged in at least 1 inch of water)
  • Let it soak ideally for 15 minutes
  • Rinse under cold running water

Bottom Line

My recommendation is to purchase organic if cost allows you, especially for the Dirty Dozen.

If you are not able to purchase organic because cost prohibits you to do so, or it is not available, then use the baking soda solution to soak and clean your produce.​ This can eliminate some but not all of the surface pesticides on your produce.

The Clean 15 are produce you can generally purchase non-organic, but ensure you look for non-GMO options especially for corn.

In Health,

Dr. Amy Tung, ND

Resources:

  • https://www.cooksillustrated.com/articles/2075-can-baking-soda-remove-pesticides-from-produce?fbclid=IwAR1MlqvrwIeEcCD9LyuGXGpHc7nD7wHWdypMS7hGZ5PM6W6_gUS5gnxqxms
  • https://cen.acs.org/articles/95/web/2017/10/Baking-soda-washes-pesticides-apples.html
  • J. Agric. Food Chem. 2017, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.7b03118
  • https://www.ewg.org/
  • https://www.dal.ca/sites/agri-food.html

Interested in learning more about working with me?

Book a 15 min consult in person or virtually (Ontario residents only).