Dan's Papers - August 22, 2008 - Pick a Peck o' Pesticide-Free Food

Ideally we should all be cultivating our own fruit and vegetable gardens during the summer months, growing tomatoes, zucchini, and strawberries. And naturally, we should be doing this in our spare time, but that would mean giving up beach time, relaxation time, and leisure time. This is not happening for most of us.

Eating organic food has become a focus in recent years. Most of us are aware that pesticides are probably a health hazard, but I'm sure most people don't know exactly why. Don't worry, you're not alone. The EPA, FDA, USDA and other government agencies and medical organizations aren't sure themselves exactly how dangerous pesticides are.

Although the ambiguity surrounding the potential dangers of pesticide consumption comes from inconclusive studies and deficiency of research, the reality has an uncertain future simply because not enough time has passed to know the true consequences. Not only are there so many different types of pesticides in use, but the real question becomes our tolerance level and toxicity level of the various pesticides. Simply put, how much can we take before we get sick?

Some history: pesticides date back to 2500 BC. In the 15th century, farmers used arsenic, mercury and lead to kill off the little buggers. It took them a while to find out that this wasn't a good idea. In the 1960s, we moved on tp DDT. Some time passed before that caution light went off as well, and DDT is now banned in 86 countries.

This comes straight out of Wikipedia: "The American Medical Association recommends limiting exposure to pesticides...Particular uncertainty exists regarding the long-term effects of low-dose pesticide exposure." The entry on "Pesticide" goes on to describe "data gaps" and "inadequate surveillance systems" related to studies on pesticides. Need I say more?

Health dangers associated with pesticide run the radar from skin and eye irritation to nerve system damage and cancer. Government agencies worldwide estimate that over 3 million agricultural workers are severely poisoned by exposure to pesticides each year, and thousands of those workers actually die.

Let's face facts: pesticides were designed to KILL. The longer you are exposed to pesticides and the more you consume, the higher the risk of health problems. The key is to keep the dose down. We have to consciously minimize the amounts of pesticides we take into our system.

How to do that? Buy organic produce, organic defined as food grown without the use of pesticides. Yes, they may put a bigger dent in your wallet than the toxic varieties, but we're willing to splurge on $7 ice cream cones and $15 specialty martinis, so let's put things into perspective.

Layne Lieberman, a food and nutrition consultant, who lives in Quogue part time, has some helpful hints. "The best advice is to eat plenty of and a variety of fruits and vegetables in season, wash all produce and choose organic when possible," he explains. "Which produce have the highest pesticide load? Peaches have the highest." Here is his list of items you may want to choose organic, listed from highest pesticide load to slightly lower loads: peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, spinach, potatoes, carrots and green beans.

Some of the least offensive produce, those having lower loads of pesticides, include onions (which are the lowest), avocados, pineapples, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, eggplant, blueberries, and watermelon.

Take advantage of the organic fruit and vegetable farms we have on the East End. Some noteworthy picks include Sang Lee Farms on Route 48 in Peconic, Golden Earthworm on Peconic Bay Blvd. in Jamesport, and Green Thumb Organic Farm on Montauk Highway in Water Mill. They are all certified organic farms and each offer a unique variety of greens, fruits, herbs, and other seasonal produce.

If you can't buy organic for whatever reason, you can purchase a fruit and vegetable wash that supposedly rids the surface of pesticide residue. Lieberman says it's not necessary to spend money on special washes and suggests soaking your produce in a blend of half vinegar, half water for 5 - 10 minutes.

I don't know about you, but I'd rather take precautions now than gamble with uncertain futures. For all we know, 20 years from now we may all be walking around looking like creatures from a science fiction movie - glowing, lumpy, limping, and grunting. No thanks.