Much has been said about the risks involved in eating fruits and vegetables that have been treated with chemicals. A recent analysis was conducted to compare the risks verses benefits in regards to cancer of eating non-organic fruits and vegetables. If half the US population would increase its consumption of non-organic fruits and vegetables by one serving, it was estimated “that approximately 20,000 cases per year could be prevented by increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, while up to 10 cancer cases per year could be caused by the added pesticide consumption” (Reiss et al., 2012, Abstract). While they state that the analysis presents significant uncertainties, they believe the differences are so great that consumers “should not be concerned about cancer risks from consuming conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables” (Reiss et al., 2012, Abstract).
So eat organic if you can. But, if you are not able to eat organic, eat your fruits and vegetables anyway!
Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2012, 50 (12) 4421-4427