Alexis Temkin, Ph.D.

We find that what ends up on one list versus the other reflects how those fruits and vegetables are grown. Avocados, for example, aren’t pesticide intensive, while strawberries grow very close to the ground and have a lot of pests.

It's one way to provide information about some of the potential reasons why we think people might want to be concerned about pesticides in their fruit and vegetables.

Emerging evidence suggests many widely used fungicides may disrupt human hormone systems. But more studies are needed to btter understand the risks they – and all pesticides – pose to humans, particularly children.

It was never meant to dissuade consumption or advise avoiding any of these 'dirty dozen' items. It's really about how to choose fruits and vegetables effectively to reduce pesticide exposure while still eating a lot of fruits and vegetables.

Chlormequat is primarily used on grain crops like oats, wheat and barley. [However,] in the U.S. only imported varieties of these crops are allowed to have chlormequat residues.

The ubiquity of this little-studied pesticide in people raises alarm bells about how it could potentially cause harm without anyone even knowing they’ve consumed it.

This study is a wake-up call for consumers, researchers and regulators to be more aware of the potential risks associated with the numerous chemicals entering our indoor air, Our findings emphasize a way to reduce exposure to hazardous VOCs – by selecting products that are ‘green,’ especially those that are ‘green’ and ‘fragrance free.

We find that what ends up on one list versus the other reflects how those fruits and vegetables are grown. Avocados, for example, aren't pesticide intensive, while strawberries grow very close to the ground and have a lot of pests.

The EPA could certainly be doing a better job of setting more accurate safe limits based on the latest science. Some of these pesticides require immediate, swift action by the EPA to consider these potential health risks more strongly.