Strawberries, spinach top 'dirty dozen' produce with most pesticides

Strawberries, spinach and nectarines top the Environmental Working Group's 2018 "dirty dozen," their annual list of produce that contain the most pesticides.

According to the organization, one strawberry sample contained 22 pesticide residues, and one-third of the strawberry samples contained 10 or more pesticides. Almost all spinach samples (97 percent) contained pesticide residues, while 94 percent of nectarine samples contained at least two pesticides.

Apples, grapes, peaches, cherries and pears round out the top eight. Tomatoes, celery, potatoes and sweet bell peppers finish out the "dirty dozen."

According to Consumer Reports, the best way to stay away from pesticides is to buy produce labeled USDA Organic. If the price of going organic is too much, they recommend soaking your fruits and veggies in a solution of one teaspoon baking soda for every two cups of water. Do this for 2 minutes or more (the longer you soak, the more chemicals you remove) then rinse with tap water before eating.