Non-Organic Produce is as Safe as Organic Produce?

An Expert Panel Report commissioned by the Alliance for Food & Farming reviewed the claim made by special interest groups that organically grown produce is safer and more nutritionally beneficial than conventionally grown produce. What the panel found is that there is no current scientific data convincing enough to support this claim.¹

Toxicologists agree that the presence of residue on produce doesn’t mean that it’s harmful. In fact, this pesticide residue calculator suggests that a woman could consume 219 servings of blueberries in one day without any effect from pesticide residues. This is true even if the blueberries contain the highest amount of pesticide residue recorded for blueberries by the USDA.²

Our Advice

Remember, research has proven that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can provide, such as improving cardiovascular health and cancer prevention. These benefits far outweigh any risks consuming fruits and vegetables may have. The beneficial compounds in fruits and vegetables keep your body functioning at its best to help protect you from illness.

Don’t forget to wash all produce before consuming it! Whether organic or conventional, all fruits and vegetables should be washed. Washing them under running tap water removes any dirt, bacteria or pesticides that may remain on the skin or rind. Remember to wash even the fruits and vegetables with rinds or skins that aren’t eaten. For example, cutting an unwashed cantaloupe in half may transmit bacteria on the rind into the flesh of the fruit. Washing it beforehand will prevent this.

Organic produce may not be within your current budget. As a consumer, you should feel confident in the safety and nutritional benefits of conventionally grown produce.