• Foods labeled “natural” or “all-natural” probably aren’t organic. If they’re labeled “organic,” the food producer is claiming to have used organic methods, but the authenticity of that claim hasn’t been independently certified. Only “certified organic” foods have been reviewed by regulators.
• Buy locally and in season. In other words, visit your farmer’s market or another source of local produce.
• Next, pay special attention to the following foods, because the Environmental Working Group or the Pesticide Action Network of North America has flagged them as the most contaminated items in your supermarket.

• apples
• apricots
• bell peppers
• butter
• cantaloupe
• celery
• cherries
• cucumbers
• grapes
• peaches
• peanuts
• pickles
• popcorn
• radishes
• spinach
• squash
• strawberries
• green beans
     
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AN ORGANIC EDUCATION

The Organic Foods Sourcebook, by Elaine Marie Lipson (McGraw-Hill)

Your Organic Kitchen: The Essential Guide to Selecting and Cooking Organic Foods, by Jesse Ziff Cool (Rodale Press)

www.ota.com>, the Organic Trade Association’s Web site helps identify nearby sources for organic products

www.panna.org> for Pesticide Action Network’s report on chemicals in our food supply

www.ewg.org> for “A Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce”

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