According to an article published by CNN, John Mackey (the CEO of Whole Foods) feels singled out by the FTC's attempt to block the Whole Foods/Wild Oats merger.

Whole Foods is the largest seller of organic and natural food, and it had planned to acquire Wild Oats, until the planned merger was blocked by the FTC (for anti-competitive reasons). Mackey says:

Look at the track record of the FTC in the last six years. They have approved 96 oil and gas mergers. They approved Smithfield buying the No. 2 pork producer, giving them around 30% market share in the U.S. [In 1999], they approved Exxon and Mobil merging. It's ludicrous to single [Whole Foods] out for anticompetitive reasons. [The rules] are obviously being selectively enforced.

Mackey has a good point. It seems odd that the FTC would block the merger of two natural foods companies, when they have approved the merger of large oil and gas companies, and other special interests. In the CNN article, Mackey goes on to say that Whole Foods will focus on opening new stores in the future, instead of acquiring them. This will prevent entanglements with the FTC. He is quoted as saying:

You can open as many stores as you want without permission form the FTC, but if you try to buy stores, that requires permission. The solution is obvious: We won't be buying stores, we'll be opening them. You don't see Wal-Mart acquiring anyone in the U.S. anymore. It's easier for them and us to just open stores.

Other interesting points from the article:

• If the merger succeeds, Wild Oats prices will be lowered.
• Whole Foods adapts certain stores to fit the culture. For example, in London, Whole Foods has an organic pub where customers can buy organic draft beer and wines.
• When considering where to open new stores, Whole Foods looks at the density of college grads. Mackey says Whole Foods "caters to the well-educated [because] for people to change their dietary habits requires that they be well-informed."
• Whole Foods has tripled its supply of local food in the past year, and is loaning up to $10 million a year to local producers. 13 loans to local producers have already been made this year.
• Whole Foods has a positive effect on real estate property values. When Whole Foods opened in Chelsea [in New York City], condos above the store went up 10% in price on opening day. This has caused some real estate investors to buy up property in neighborhoods where a Whole Foods store is slated to open.
• Whole Foods is seen as a highly-desirable tenant by property developers because of its effect on real estate prices.

I hope the merger succeeds. It's sad to see the FTC apply rules selectively. I think it comes down to lobbying, and unfortunately, Whole Foods doesn't have the same lobbying power that the oil and gas industries have.

I've come across an amazing story — a family in Pasadena, CA has created a self-sufficient urban homestead where they grow over 350 varieties of edible and useful plants on 1/10 acre. They are in the middle of Pasadena, surrounded by neighbors—and yet they produce more crops than most small family farms!

The Dervaes family chronicles their journey online (their website is nicely designed with beautiful graphics) with articles, newsletters, outreach campaigns and information for people interested in organic gardening and eco-living.

According to the website, their organic garden produces over 6,000 pounds (3 tons) of produce annually. This provides fresh vegetables and fruit for the family’s vegetarian diet and a source of income.

This is really quite amazing, and very impressive.

Omar's Living Cuisine was recently featured in The Salt Lake Tribune. This organic, raw food restaurant is located in Salt Lake City, Utah (30 minutes from the ski slopes).   Article is excerpted below…

If slogans such as "going raw" and "It's not about the food, it's about the love" are unfamiliar to readers, they probably have yet to visit Omar's Living Cuisine.

This raw food bar at 2144 S. Highland Drive has transported Salt Lake Valley diners to healthier heights since its opening in July 2005. Omar's Living Cuisine serves seeds, nuts, fruits and vegetables, prepared in a mixed-and-matched, tossed-and-turned way to keep the variety as fresh as the food. The menu includes drinks, salads, entrées and desserts—all made organically.

The restaurant began after Omar "PureHeart" Abou-Ismail realized in 2004 that a change needed to take place in his life. He had recently graduated in geophysics from the University of Utah and was working in Hawaii when he felt the need for something more. He found it in his eating habits. After thorough research and experimentation, Abou-Ismail began his lifestyle. "I committed," he recalled. "I said, 'I'm never going to eat anything that is not natural. I'm going to eat everything that comes from the earth to me.' "

Shortly after this transition, Abou-Ismail's father died from cancer. This affected Abou-Ismail in such a way that he wanted to give something to humanity, something he wished he could have given to his father: health. Soon thereafter, he began teaching nutrition classes at Wild Oats and followed that by creating his restaurant.

"It's not about food, it's about love," Abou-Ismail said. "I love so much the earth we live on, I love so much humanity, and I feel like I can make a difference here." What began as a simple bar with homegrown vegetables has mushroomed into an ornately decorated corner café with soothing music, soft lighting and wall hangings to match the message. The location is shared with Devin Anderson, who manages Herbs for Health, a shop in the front of the building that specializes in herbs and water.

Abou-Ismail's way of eating is contagious, and the scattering of thank-you cards on a table in the restaurant show that many are grateful for his approach. "Since [meeting Abou-Ismail] I've gone completely raw," said customer Samuel Stinson. "I've lost weight . . . I exercise. Now I'm looking at buying an organic farm." Abou-Ismail fashions all his recipes thoughtfully – and prayerfully.

He does not agree with mass production of food. Nor does he agree that all parts of the famous food pyramid are necessary. "When was this food pyramid made?" Abou-Ismail asks. "The new food pyramid consists of . . . fats, proteins and sweets." He added that these essentials are all found in nuts, seeds and fruits. "I do this because I really love to do this," Abou-Ismail said. "It resonates with my being. It's not about the food, it's about the love."

If you visit Salt Lake City this winter, be sure to stop by.

A video of Paul Nison giving a presentation on raw foods. The video quality is kind of blurry/spotty, but the content is great.

Take-aways from Paul's presentation

1.) Strive to eat a majority of "high quality foods." High quality foods possess these 4 characteristics…

Raw – Uncooked fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Ripe – Fully ripened fruits and vegetables contain more vitamins and minerals than unripe or partially ripened produce.

Fresh – Produce that is eaten close to the time it has been harvested is more beneficial than produce that has been sitting on a grocery shelf for 1-2 weeks before being sold. This is why local produce and local agriculture is highly favored. Local produce is fresher because it hasn't been shipped from halfway around the country/world, before making its way to your grocery/health food store.

Organic – Free of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and synthetic poisons.

2.) Sleep is another word for "healing." The blood goes through dialysis at night; the cleaner your blood, the less sleep you need (usually).

When Jennifer Pittman moved to Forth Worth, Texas and discovered a lack of organic food providers, she decided to create her own source of raw food produce and products. Pittman started an organic co-op called Blueberry Market…

Beyond the Chains, Local Options Limited
by Amy Culbertson
Star-Telegram Food Editor

When it comes to organic options outside supermarkets and natural-foods markets, Fort Worth and environs aren't exactly overflowing with options. Where in other cities, farmers markets are primary sources for local organic produce, you won't find any organic farmers at the Cowtown Farmers Market, the group of local farmers selling produce on Wednesday and Saturday mornings at the Benbrook Traffic Circle.

Ben Walker, president of the North Central Texas Farmers Market Corp., which operates the Cowtown market, says his group has just one organic farmer, who sells only at the Grapevine Farmers Market. The dearth of organic-food providers was what motivated Jennifer Pittman to launch a fledgling organic and raw-food business from her home near Texas Christian University several months ago. Pittman had been running an "environmentally safe cleaning business" in Austin before she moved here and found the options for her goal of a raw-food diet suddenly limited.

Through her Blueberry Market Organic Rawfood business, Pittman brings in organic produce, seeds, grains, nuts and nut butters, oils, herbs, teas and skin-care products for pickup every two weeks. She gets most of her items from several national distributors but has recently added some produce from a local organic farmer. She's looking for a storefront to offer a retail location in the future and eventually would like to be involved in the growing end of the organic-food business. For now, however, her business is mostly e-mail. Pittman joins a short list of local organic co-ops that includes Monica Brown's Your Health Source co-op, probably the area's largest.

Your Health Source, which Brown started four years ago, provides organic groceries for about 825 families. Brown lives in Weatherford, but her co-op is based in downtown Fort Worth, from which groceries are delivered to a network of "host" sites — homes or small businesses — for pickup within a two-hour radius. At the host sites, members "sort the food and get it ready for the people to come pick up," Brown said. Each member family pays $25 to join and gets a basic box of fruits and vegetables — some weeks include local produce — every other week for $40. Members can order extra shares or whole cases of produce; many members split cases. Other groceries available for order include local pastured meats, eggs and dairy products, along with dry goods such as bulk grains, seeds, nuts and nut butters; local honey; and oils.

Members also have access to e-groups to discuss health issues and share recipes, and Brown does frequent cooking demonstrations at various sites. All the co-ops operate a little differently — some have fees to join; some require that their members work a certain number of hours sorting food or doing other tasks. But all buy in bulk to offer price advantages over retail outlets, and most deliver a basic box of produce at set intervals, usually every other week.

Fort Worth Raw Food Related Co-ops

Blueberry Market
TCU area of Fort Worth: Specializing in vegetarian, vegan and raw-food items. Every-two-week pickup; individual orders; no joining fee. www.blueberrymarket.com. e-mail: blueberry@blueberrymarket.com

Joyful Living
Aledo: Kristy Bell specializes in organic grains and mills. Also produce, grocery items, dry goods. Every-two-week pickup; pre-assembled produce box $25; individual orders and on-site sales. No joining fee or minimum order. (817) 441-7074.

Wonderfully Made
South Fort Worth: Produce; frozen, refrigerated and dry goods; grain grinders and mills. Every-two-week pickup, produce box $20-$36 with a onetime $5 box deposit. No joining fee or minimum order. (817) 294-1873.

Your Health Source
Fort Worth: Produce, dry goods, groceries. Every-two-week delivery, produce box $40. $25 joining fee. (817) 793-3509; (888) 280-0494.

Walmart will begin offering more organic food, according to a news article. According to Reuters, "Wal-Mart is the top U.S. grocery seller and also No. 1 in organic milk sales. It carries organic baby food, juice, produce and pasta sauce, but will be expanding its offerings to include products ranging from pickles to macaroni and cheese." Maybe more people will buy organic produce if Walmart begins actively supplying its stores with organics.

Right now, the two Walmart locations closest to my house have no organic produce, compared to Target (its closest competitor) which offers some organic produce (lettuce, grapes, apples, carrots, celery, cucumbers). Whole Foods is still the best retail choice for fresh organic produce, but Target is an alternative option (albeit less desirable).

All of Target's organic produce is "packaged" and comes from Earthbound Farms. For example, organic cucumbers at Target are wrapped in plastic in a black container, in comparison to Whole Food's produce which is not packaged, and comes from local farmers (well, at least some of it does).

I live in the suburbs, and the five options here for organic produce are…

Whole Foods
Local CSA (community supported agriculture) subscription
Kroger
Target
Lowes Foods

Whole Foods and local CSA's are the best. Surprisingly, Kroger has a decent selection of organic produce (they recently expanded their offerings). Lowes Foods is another store that offers a small selection of organics. It will be interesting to see what kind of organic products Walmart decides to carry.

From the Santa Cruz (CA) Sentinel… 50-year old woman finds a cure for Epstein Barr, mononucleosis, and hypoglycemia with raw foods…

Rx For Raw Recipes
by Peggy Townsend

Robyn Boyd says her symptoms began when she was 10 years old. She would have debilitating headaches that required shots of Demerol to calm. Then came bouts of hypoglycemia, Epstein Barr and mononucleosis that left her weak and exhausted, she says. Anxiety attacks followed and, finally, after a day spent painting the baseboards of her house with oil-based paint, she collapsed, poisoned by the volatile fumes it gave off, she says. Barely able to pull herself out of bed, the petite, sandy-haired woman turned to a cure that didn't come on any prescription pad: Food. Specifically, raw food.

Nine years later, Boyd is a cheerleader for the benefits of raw foods and the author of a cookbook called "RawSome Recipes," which is in its third printing. Standing in her modern, Soquel kitchen with its red birch cabinets and green quartz-style counters, the woman who says she was raised on junk food smiles and explains that while a strict diet of raw food saved her life, a person doesn't have to be a fanatic to reap the benefits of this way of eating. Simple changes in the way a person shops and eats can lead to more energy and a healthier immune system, she believes. "I like to teach people how to take everyday foods and make them fun and pretty, but doable," she says.

Going Raw

The 50-year-old former massage therapist and aerobics teacher has set out a mini-party of raw foods on her dining room table. There are Banana Fingers made up of slices of sweet bananas and chocolate pudding that she fashioned from avocados. There is a ranch-pesto dip made of soaked almonds and a yam salad that tastes like old-fashioned potato salad. She pours a cup of Rooibus tea from Africa, sweetens it with agave nectar and almond milk, and settles in to talk. Technically, raw food is never heated past 117 degrees, preventing damage to the enzymes that help us digest and assimilate food, she says.

But as a wife and mother in a world full of restaurants and fast-food joints, taking a hard line on raw foods doesn't always work, she says. "I want to be more practical," Boyd says. "Nourishment can come from cooked food, too." That's the reason her cookbook is named "RawSome." It has recipes with both raw and cooked foods and even includes recipes kids will like. For breakfast, Boyd says, she will make a smoothie out of almond milk, brewer's yeast, spirulina, flax seed and a banana. At lunch, she'll have a whole coconut or a lettuce-leaf wrap filled with guacamole, grated carrots and pine nuts.

Dinner will be a huge salad and maybe a warm soup or stew. Boyd doesn't even shy away from meat. She'll eat salmon and lamb. Organic, of course, she says. Food, she believes, shouldn't be a religion, but rather an intelligent way to nourishment and health. Filled with an easy energy, Boyd whacks open a coconut with a knife and offers the liquid to sip. Coconut, she says, is good for weight loss and has antifungal and antibacterial properties. She opens a cabinet and demonstrates how to make "spaghetti" out of raw zucchini, then zips to a storeroom to bring out crackers that she made herself.

Largely self-taught, Boyd talks about the hazards of cooking in a microwave, of storing food in plastic, of the benefits of spirulina. This month, she'll be teaching a class on how to ease raw foods into your diet and make an appearance at the Capitola Book Cafe. "People hear raw food and think it is scary and boring," she says. "But it's vibrant and exciting and good food."

Boyd will teach a class on her eating style from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 18, 2006 in Santa Cruz, CA. The $130 class will include making and eating 14 recipes, a full sit-down lunch and a copy of "RawSome Recipes." Call 689-0609 or visit Rawsome Recipes

An article about Glaser Organic Farms, which is one of the largest raw food producers in the U.S. From TheLedger.com …

Farm Finds Success With Raw, Vegan Dishes
Glaser Organic Farms near Miami doesn't use heat or animal products.

Served under a blue and-white tent, the strawberry ice cream at the Coconut Grove Farmer's Market is unbelievably creamy, the tropical fruit pies are rich and succulent and the patestuffed portobello mushrooms are savory. Quite a feat, considering that all the food served here is raw and vegan — no animal products or heat involved.

The "ice cream" is actually made of finely ground cashews, the pies sit on a pecan crumb crust and the pate stuffed inside the mushrooms is devised of almonds and herbs. These raw food dishes, which draw health-food enthusiasts from around the region, are the creation of Glaser Organic Farms, a 15-acre farm south of Miami that has grown into one of the largest raw food producers in the United States.

Glaser farm products, which range from unbaked cookies called "rawies" to a bread made from sprouted whole grains dehydrated at very low temperatures, are shipped across the country and widely found in health food stores, such as national chain Whole Foods Market. "Our business is growing every year," said owner Stan Glaser, who started selling raw products to local stores 25 years ago and is now building a new, 3,000 square-foot kitchen — three times the size of their old space — to keep up with demand. "The volume just seems to increase, increase, increase."

Some think raw foods are healthier because heat breaks down vitamins and minerals in food and kills enzymes, which aid digestion. Others say it's the most natural way of eating. "Raw food was the original food," Glaser explained, pointing to the biblical story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. "What were they eating? Steaks? McDonald's?" They probably weren't eating mint and lemon tabouleh or tiramisu either, though both concoctions are a hit at the Farmer's Market, which Glaser Farms hosts every Saturday.

"I like the whole feeling of it," said Arthur Ackerman, a Key Biscayne business owner and yoga teacher who frequents the market's deli. "I like the ambiance, I like the food." Ackerman, 66, isn't a raw foodist, but says he tries to eat a healthy diet and the raw food dishes make him feel more energized and sleep better. "My disposition is more upbeat," Ackerman said.

Sitting at a nearby picnic table, a flight attendant who gave his name as Kachito called the Farmer's Market "the temple." The South Beach resident started eating a primarily raw foods diet after experiencing some health problems three years ago. He now says his allergies have disappeared and his annual physical exams consistently show he's healthier than average. "Raw foods is my life now," said the slim, bright-eyed man who looked younger than his 62 years. "I don't do it to live to 200, I just want to feel good every day."

But nutritionists don't recommend the diet. Although it's great to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, dietitian David Grotto said an optimal diet would include both cooked and raw foods. He said there's little scientific evidence that eating exclusively raw foods is healthier.In fact, cooking foods can bolster the amount of some vitamins, such as beta carotene. "It's not as simple as cooked equals less nutrition," said Grotto, a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association and the director of nutrition at the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Care in Evanston, Ill. Grotto said he's seen extreme cases of cancer patients on raw diets who have died from malnutrition.

Yet interest in raw foods and demand for such products is steadily growing. Adult education courses offered in Broward County, north of Miami, include a raw foods class called "Change your life: Cook with no heat." And few can deny that most Americans would benefit from eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. Glaser said he doesn't expect everyone to give up cooked foods, but he says the growing interest in raw foods is a "positive trend" because people could increase the percentage of their diets made up of raw foods.

This morning I went to the local farmers' market in the town I live in. I met the owners of an organic farm. They're not certified organic because they're too small and it costs $500 every year plus scheduled inspections by state agents, but the owners use organic farming methods and they do NOT use synthetic fungicides, pesticides or herbicides on the crops. The husband and wife seemed to be very aware, and I enjoyed talking with them.

Thus far in my life, I've never had the opportunity to talk with (or meet) the people who grow the food I eat. That's pretty sad, but I guess it highlights the modern, disconnected society we live in. The owners encouraged me to come visit the farm, as they give free tours. While I don't have the time (or inclination) to visit the farm, it's good to know that if I wanted to, I could have a look at how the food is grown.

With the sole exception of talking to the owners of the farm mentioned above, I found my town's farmer's market to be rather disappointing. The organic farm mentioned above offered only lettuce and cabbage for sale, along with lots of antibiotic free meat. (They raise free-range, grass-fed poultry and cattle). Since I wasn't interested in buying meat or eggs, that left cabbage and lettuce, which were also for sale. So, I ended up buying two bags of locally grown, pesticide-free lettuce.

The owners of the farm told me that they'd have sweet bell peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes within the next five weeks. So, I'll head back down to the town farmers' market in five weeks for the veggies. But I won't be going back until then. There's just not enough organically raised produce there.

Next Saturday, I'll be heading down to the state farmers' market in the city, which is a LOT bigger, and should have some organic produce. (Let's hope so, at least.) I want to buy produce in bulk/volume.

I have considered moving to Winter Park, FL (right outside of Orlando), partly because the organic produce at the Winter Park Whole Foods store is spectacular. According to the Whole Foods website, the Winter Park store has "the most abundant organic produce selection in Central Florida, with a minimum of 80 organic fresh fruits and vegetables daily." Now, that's a great selection! Plus, there's no state income tax in Florida, which is always nice! :-) Right now, moving is not an option, but eventually I would like to live in another area of the country.

According to a recent news article, organic food is becoming easier to find. This news article (text re-printed below) describes how grocery stores and restaurants in Wichita, Kansas are offering a wider selection of organic foods.

Organic Matters
From the Wichita Eagle

Organic food is becoming easier to find in Wichita — and finding its way to more cooks and diners. Devotees of organic food know what's in store for them in Wichita: Their options for dining out are severely limited. They pay more for the food they prepare at home. Some people think they're, well, a little flaky. But for a growing number of people, the cost and inconvenience of going organic is outweighed by the belief that they're helping both their bodies and the environment.

"I feel great when I eat them," said Debbie Margerum, who was buying organically raised eggs at the GreenAcres natural foods store last weekend. "You become healthier, and you're not spending your money on doctors and prescriptions." Such beliefs, while unprovable, are nonetheless what help drive the organic food business. Food industry sources estimate that sales of organic food have been growing nationwide at a rate of about 20 percent a year, though those sales still represent only about 3 percent of all sales.

Interest in organic foods is highest on the coasts, but Wichita seems to be partaking of the trend, too. Green Acres, in Bradley Fair, recently more than doubled the space devoted to organic produce and other foods, giving it the largest such selection in the city, and added seating for its deli. A local chain, Whole Foods, added a third location at Maize and 21st several years ago. Supermarkets such as Dillons and Food 4 Less have begun carrying a limited amount of organic food products. And other longtime purveyors of organic foods, such as Food For Thought and the Taste of Health restaurant, show no signs of slowing down.

Organic food fans aren't a homogeneous lot. Some are also vegetarians, vegans and even raw food enthusiasts, but others cheerfully eat meat. Many who have had health problems view organic food as part of an alternative, holistic approach to healing, while others are more concerned about the effects that modern agricultural practices have on the environment as a whole. Wichita artist Chris Brunner became a vegan — one who eats no meat or dairy products –"cold turkey" while reading an article about the cattle and poultry industries 20 years ago. That made finding a place to dine out in Wichita difficult enough, but when he also embraced organically raised foods about 1 ½ years ago, the situation became nearly hopeless. Fortunately, Brunner is a talented cook who enjoys entertaining at home.

"Most of the time if somebody wants to get together for dinner, I'd just as soon make dinner," he said. Like many vegetarians and vegans, Brunner says he originally found himself trying to "replace" meat in recipes. But these days, he prefers to let the flavors of fresh vegetables and fruit stand on their own. He grows some of his own produce during the summer and buys certified organic products whenever possible. He acknowledges that the latter cost more but says, "You're getting at least 40 percent more nutrients out of food, and it's much better for the environment, and that's worth considering. It's kind of like the old adage: 'Pay me now or pay me later.' "

Sherill Miles, a Nebraskan who comes to Wichita for alternative medical treatment at the Center for the Study of Improvement in Human Functioning, says she is convinced that pesticides caused many of the serious medical problems she has experienced through the years. She stays away from foods with labels full of "things you can't even read." She has nothing against meat, buying a whole cow — organically raised — for her family each year. Beyond that, she hasn't converted any family members to the organic food cause. Miles said her husband "thinks this is quackery." To be sure, there's also a political and economic aspect to the organic food movement that dates back to its founding in the 1960s counter culture.

"Our bodies are overwhelmed by toxins," said Kim Bannon, who blames pesticides and genetically modified seeds produced by huge multinational food companies. About three years ago, Bannon started eating only organically raised vegetables in their raw state after hearing a talk in California by David Wolfe. She has helped bring the colorful Wolfe (he describes himself as a "nudist, Buddhist and raw foodist") to Wichita for two appearances since then. During his most recent visit, at First Unitarian Universalist Church, tables were set up offering everything from mesquite meal ("made of seed pods from the mesquite tree") to fresh coconut juice to something called maca –"ancient Peruvian superfood."

"Our only vote really is with our dollar," Bannon said. Peter Horsley takes a less extreme approach, buying organic versions of foods that are otherwise heavily sprayed with pesticides, lack taste (free-range chicken "is more moist") and aren't too costly. "I get what tastes good and seems reasonable," he said.

Several people have told me that they believe it's more important to eat organic foods than it is to eat raw. I believe that the best health comes from organic produce eaten in a raw state. However, if you're struggling with the "raw" element, AT LEAST make sure you're eating organic fruits and vegetables. The following article briefly highlights the dangers of pesticides.

Pesticides

The E.P.A, the Environmental Protection Agency, reports that approximately 70 pesticides now in use are 'probable' or 'possible' cancer-causing agents. In addition to being sprayed on fruits and vegetables, they're also used on grains that are fed to cattle, chickens, and other livestock. These chemicals may lodge in the animals' tissues and milk, which are ingested by humans. Some studies have suggested that exposure to low levels of pesticides for long periods of time can cause breast cancer. Women who avoid eating animal products altogether have been shown to have much smaller concentrations of pesticides in their breast milk.

Another way to avoid pesticides or limit your exposure to them is to purchase organic produce. Once available only at 'health food' stores and markets, many big supermarket chains now carry organic produce, grains, and processed foods, such as breads, which are made with organic products. Laws vary from state to state as to what can be labeled 'organic,' so check to find out what your local laws are. To avoid pesticide contamination, peel and wash all fruits and vegetables, although some chemicals can't be washed away. Use a vegetable scrub brush on foods whose outer peel you're going to eat. Even though the U.S. doesn't ban the use of pesticides in agriculture, it does have the highest standards concerning their use, so you may want to limit or avoid consuming produce brought in from other countries.