Gauging the Return on Investment in Buying Organic Food

The US population is a walking science experiment — more than 90 percent of people have detectable pesticide biomarkers in their blood or urine.1 Where have these pesticide residues, or their breakdown metabolites, come from? They are most likely on (or in) the food we eat.

The Environmental Protection Agency reports indicate that more than 1.1 billion pounds of pesticides are applied annually in the United States, 90 percent of which are used for agricultural production. 2 About 30 percent of all crops grown are consumed by humans, with the remainder used for animal feed or biofuel production.

So, what is the best way to avoid ingesting pesticides such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and rodenticides when the food we eat is treated with one or more toxins as it is grown?

Every spring the Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases its Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™. For more than 20 years, this publication has been used by consumers to avoid the most contaminated produce on grocery shelves. We applaud the work EWG has done producing their Dirty Dozen™ list of most pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables.

Because more than 70 percent of conventional (non-organic) fresh produce sold in the US contains residues of potentially harmful pesticides, and often multiple synthetic chemicals, in the past EWG has recommended a very simple way to avoid the highest pesticide risk: substitute organic produce for the Dirty Dozen.