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Some consumers buy organic foods to avoid pesticide residues. Skeptics, however, have said that little evidence exists to support such a claim. But a 2002 study from Consumers Union  (CU), the publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, shows that organic foods, which are not grown with pesticides, have significantly fewer pesticide residues than those grown by conventional growing methods.

The researchers also questioned why organic foods contained any pesticide residues. Some residues in both organic and conventional pesticides could be the result of environmental contamination from past pesticide use and pesticide "drift" (sprays blown in from adjacent non-organic farms). The team excluded samples containing persistent pesticides, such as DDT, that can be found in soils and wildlife long after application and which are known to travel via air and water currents. This resulted in a decrease in the number of organic foods containing pesticide residues to 13 percent from 23 percent. Therefore, a small amount of pesticide residues on produce, regardless of production method, may be unavoidable.

Whether the lower residues in organic produce translate to better health is still unclear. However, another study published in Environmental Health Perspectives  showed that organic diets significantly lowered children’s exposure to pesticides. In fact, when the children switched to an organic diet, the levels of pesticides in their urine almost immediately dropped to undetectable levels.

For more information on pesticides in food and how to avoid them, see:

What Shouldn't Be There: Contaminants in Children's Food
Tips on Feeding Children Safe Food
Why Go Organic
Where to Find Organic Foods
10 Fruits and Vegetables to Buy Organic

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