Results of testing vegetables from farms in Massachusetts showed
no pesticide residues in 100 percent of the samples. Bonanno
reports only 0.5 percent of conventionally grown foods (but
three to four percent of imported foods) are over EPA standards.
A 2005 survey of 13,621 food samples revealed pesticide residue
exceeding the tolerance was 0.2 percent.(1) Yet, watchdog groups
such as www.beyondpesticides.org and www.foodnews.org wave red
flags and remind us, for example, that small amounts of
pesticides can accumulate in the body. This may be of particular
concern during vulnerable periods of growth, such as with young
children. Clearly, whether or not to buy organic foods becomes a
matter of personal values. Bonanno sees "organic," in part, as a
marketing ploy, with organic foods portrayed as being safer and
better. He argues we do not have a two-tier food system in the
US -- with wealthier people who can afford to buy organic foods
being the recipients of safer foods. An Athlete's Options So
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