The Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15
EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™, updated every year since 2004, ranks pesticide contamination on 48 popular fruit and vegetables. The guide, called the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen, is based on results of more than 35,200 samples tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.
If you would like to reduce your exposure to toxic pesticides, try to purchase organic versions of fruit and vegetables on the Dirty Dozen list.
The group identified the following items on its “Dirty Dozen” list of produce with the most pesticide residue:
1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Nectarines
4. Apples
5. Grapes
6. Peaches
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Tomatoes
10. Celery
11. Potatoes
12. Sweet Bell Peppers
Here are the items the EWG identified for its “Clean 15,” which report the least likelihood to contain pesticide residue.
1. Avocados
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapples
4. Cabbages
5. Onions
6. Sweet Peas
7. Papayas
8. Asparagus
9. Mangoes
10. Eggplants
11. Honeydews
12. Kiwis
13. Cantaloupes
14. Cauliflower
15. Broccoli