Category: Organic produce

According to the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) 2025 Shopper's Guide, potatoes were added to the Dirty Dozen list for the first time in several years, meaning russet potatoes are included in the category of conventionally grown produce with high pesticide residues.

According to USDA organic guidelines, the use of chlorine-based materials for sanitizing organic produce is permitted, meaning yes, most pre-packaged organic salad is washed in a diluted chlorine solution. This practice is a critical step in the food industry to protect consumers from harmful bacteria, with residual chlorine levels carefully regulated to be safe for consumption.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, products labeled "organic" must contain at least 95% organic ingredients. Knowing how to know if potatoes are organic requires understanding official labels and regulations, as visual inspection is not enough to confirm a potato's cultivation method.

According to Whole Foods Market, they carry over 41,000 unique organic products in their stores, ensuring a wide variety of choices for consumers. When it comes to the summer staple of corn on the cob, shoppers often wonder if an organic option is available and what they can expect to find.

An apple's shiny, waxy surface is often a source of curiosity and debate on platforms like Reddit, with many questioning its origin on organic varieties. All apples naturally produce their own protective wax layer, but organic apples may also have a food-grade wax added after harvesting to replace the natural coating removed during washing. This added wax is sourced from natural substances, unlike the sometimes petroleum-based waxes used on conventional produce.

According to the CDC, nearly half of all foodborne illnesses in the U.S. are caused by the consumption of contaminated vegetables or fruits. This startling fact underscores why washing all produce, including organic items like blackberries, is a critical step for food safety.

According to the Environmental Working Group, conventional bananas, despite their thick peels, appear on the “Clean Fifteen” list, but this does not account for the extensive use of chemicals in their production process. This makes many wonder: why are organic bananas so much better when factors beyond the peel are considered, from taste to environmental impact?.

According to the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) 2025 analysis of USDA data, 93% of conventional blackberry samples contained at least one detectable pesticide, with some samples containing up to 14 different residues. This raises a critical question for consumers: do blackberries need to be organic to avoid chemical exposure?

Every year, approximately 48 million people in the U.S. get sick from foodborne illnesses, with a significant number of cases linked to contaminated produce. This fact makes proper produce washing essential, even for items perceived as clean and natural, like organic blueberries.

According to the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) 2025 Dirty Dozen list, which highlights produce with the highest pesticide residues, raspberries are not among the top 12 most contaminated items. However, other berries like strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries have consistently appeared on or near the list in recent years, raising common questions about raspberries. This raises the question of where this popular berry truly stands regarding pesticide exposure and what consumers should consider when making purchasing decisions.