The current recommendations from the Food Guide Pyramid are to eat at least 5 servings of fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables each day. In the interest of food safety, you may wonder why pesticides and food-grade waxes are used on produce, or why it is important to wash fresh fruits and vegetables before eating them.
Pesticides are an essential component in the production of a plentiful and safe food supply.
Treating crops with safe levels of pesticides helps ensure that the produce we are accustomed to is available when we go to the store. Our food supply is not only the safest, but it is the most abundant in the world, and pesticides are one of the important tools that have made that abundance possible. While we know that pesticide residue levels are safe for adults, the question has been raised about whether these same levels are safe for children. Health professionals, including pediatricians and registered dietitians who specialize in pediatric nutrition, agree that the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables far outweigh any potential risk. Some consumers have decided to buy organically-grown produce or even grow their own if possible.