12.3.2007 9:56 AM

With Apples, Folks Prefer "Perfect" to Organic

That Shiny, Unblemished Apple Was Probably Treated with Pesticides

Participants in the experiment were asked to choose between apples with no blemishes and those with up to 9% of their skin affected.

Photo: Chengyan Yue / American Society of Horticultural Science

By Dan Shapley

Consumers will most often choose apples that look perfect over those that are labeled organic, according to new research published in HortScience.

That means that, in most cases, people are choosing apples treated with pesticides over those with harmless blemishes that don't affect the taste or quality of the apple.

"The findings were clear: When given a choice between organically grown apples with surface blemishes or conventionally grown apples, consumers prefer the conventionally grown apples because they 'look better,'" a summary of the research by Chengyan Yue, assistant professor of horticultural science and applied economics at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, reads. "Even though consumers understand that spots are merely a cosmetic problem and do not affect the taste or quality of the apples, buyers prefer apples with a better appearance."

The take-home message for consumers who care about avoiding items on the "Dirty Dozen" list - those fruits and vegetables, including apples, that are most likely to have pesticide residue: Get over it.

COMMENTS ()