release of low levels of various hormones and their effects on different organs. Until
guidelines and testing are implemented, a pesticide’s untested potential for endocrine
disruption should be reflected in the tolerance for that chemical.^23
Pesticides on Fruits and Vegetables
A detailed report revealed unsafe levels of pesticide residues on certain fresh fruits
and vegetables, including many that are grown in the United States. Produce was
tested and scored based on how many samples contained pesticides, the average
amount detected, and the toxicity of the particular pesticides found. The test data
was from USDA testing, and the foods were prepared as they would be at home (for
example, bananas and oranges were peeled). Each sample was a composite of about
five pounds of produce. A score greater than 100 is cause for concern.
Here are the worst:
Type of Produce and Score
Peaches, domestically grown (North America): 4,848
Peaches from Chile: 471
Winter squash, domestically grown: 1,708
Apples, domestically grown: 550
Pears, domestically grown: 435
Pears from Mexico: 415
Spinach, domestically grown: 349
Spinach from Mexico: 256
Grapes, domestically grown: 228
Grapes from Chile: 339
Celery, domestically grown: 255
Green beans, domestically grown: 222Surprisingly, bananas, which used to be heavily dosed with pesticides, scored only
four points. One chemical, methyl parathion, accounted for more than 90 percent of
the total toxicity load of peaches, apples, pears, green beans, and peas. The high tox-
icity values for winter squash from the United States were almost entirely due to resi-
dues of dieldrin, a very toxic, carcinogenic insecticide that was banned twenty-five
years ago but still persists in some agricultural soils.
Illegal insecticides found on produce were not the result of excessive residues, but
rather were due to low levels of chemicals that are persistent residues in soils, or to
wind dispersal of pesticides applied legally to nearby fields. But the data revealed
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