The 'Dirty Dozen' of Fruits and Vegetables

Aug. 13, 2009— -- In a recent study, two-thirds of domestic and imported produce contained no pesticide residue, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Yet the study did not mention the other third of produce which did contain traces of pesticides.

According to findings from 87,000 government tests, the Environmental Working Group dubbed 12 vegetables the "dirty dozen." They are the fruits and vegetables most likely to contain pesticide.

"Some fruits and vegetables can have nine different pesticides in a single serving," said Jane Houlihan, the senior vice president for research at the Environmental Working Group.

Peaches top the "dirty dozen" list because they require a lot of pesticides to grow, according to the Environmental Working Group.

The rest of the dirty dozen include:

Bell peppers

Celery

Cherries

Nectarines

Strawberries

Kale

Lettuce

Imported grapes

Carrots

Pears

For a complete list of the "Clean 15," the produce least likely to contain pesticide residue, Click Here.