Alexis Temkin, Ph.D., Toxicologist, Environmental Working Group, discusses the 2024 Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
May 31, 2024
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Toxicologist Alexis Temkin from the Environmental Working Group joins the host to discuss the 2024 Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce. They cover pesticide residues on foods, benefits of organic farming, and the impact on vulnerable populations like children and pregnant women. They emphasize the importance of making informed choices when shopping for produce.
The EWG's Shoppers Guide helps consumers choose produce with lower pesticide content for healthier food choices.
Improving government testing for critical pesticides like glyphosate is crucial to ensure consumer safety in food consumption.
Deep dives
Importance of the Environmental Working Group's Shoppers Guide
The Environmental Working Group's Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce, with the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 Reports, is crucial for consumers to make informed choices about pesticide residues. By utilizing data from the USDA's Pesticide Data Program, the guide ranks fruits and vegetables based on their pesticide content, offering valuable insights on the most and least contaminated produce for healthier food choices.
Concerns about Glyphosate Testing and Regulatory Oversight
Concerns were raised regarding glyphosate testing, with calls for improved government testing to include critical pesticides like glyphosate that could impact consumer health. The discussion highlighted the need for better regulatory oversight and thorough testing to ensure the safety of produce consumed by the public, emphasizing the importance of understanding pesticide presence in food.
Effects of Pesticide Mixtures and Importance of Organic Options
Studies suggest that mixtures of pesticides can have synergistic health effects, underscoring the importance of reducing overall pesticide exposure. Research has shown that switching to an organic diet can significantly decrease pesticide levels in urine, emphasizing the benefits of choosing organic produce to minimize exposure and promote health. The focus on agro-ecological farming methods and supporting organic agriculture was highlighted as essential for reducing pesticide residues in food.
Did you know that pesticides are widely used in U.S. agriculture and residues may remain on and in the foods we eat, even after washing or processing? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Alexis Temkin, Ph.D., Toxicologist, at the Environmental Working Group. Temkin discusses EWG’s 2024 Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce, and the related and updated Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen Guide to produce shopping. She also discusses vulnerable populations, including children, pregnant women and farmworkers, and the multiple benefits of organic food and farming,