Are fruits and vegetables sprayed with pesticides safe for my child to eat?

Children need a wholesome diet that includes at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. However, the majority of produce available has been sprayed with chemicals, particularly pesticides. In fact, in its landmark report, “Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children,” the National Academy of Sciences expressed concern that the traces of pesticides found on produce in the diets of infants and children may affect a child’s development.

And several animal studies have shown that even minuscule amounts of some pesticides -- amounts comparable to those found on fruits and vegetables -- can interfere with the growth of a child’s brain or with the hormones that regulate growth and development. The chemicals that interfere with brain growth are called neurotoxins, and those that interfere with hormones are endocrine disrupters. Although the jury is still out on the extent to which trace amounts of neurotoxins and endocrine disrupters actually affect a child’s growth and development, you should still work to minimize residues of pesticides on the fruits and vegetables you serve your kids:Know which fruits and vegetables have the largest amount of pesticide residues on them.

According to a Consumer Reports study, apples, grapes, green beans, peaches, pears, spinach, and winter squash had higher toxicity scores than other produce, based on the number of samples with pesticide residues and the toxicity of each pesticide. Clean them up. Scrub and peel fruit and appropriate vegetables (such as carrots) before serving them.

Wash greens and oily or waxed soft-skin fruits and vegetables (such as tomatoes) in a mild solution of detergent and water. Rinse well. Choose certified-organic produce.

Organic produce is grown without any synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Because this food is grown without chemicals, it’s free of the toxic residues that are present on traditionally grown (i.e. , grown with chemicals) produce.

Choose locally grown produce, in season. If you can’t find organic produce, your next best option is to buy produce that’s been grown locally. In general, locally grown fruits and vegetables should not have been treated with as many chemicals as produce grown far away.

That’s because locally grown produce doesn’t need to be picked unripe, ripened with chemicals, and then treated with preservatives for a long cross-country trip.

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