Choosing Produce

EWG's 2014 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce™

Two-thirds of produce samples in recent government tests had pesticide residues. Don't want to eat bug- and weed-killers? EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce helps you shop smart. We highlight the cleanest and dirtiest conventionally-raised fruits and vegetables. If a conventionally grown food you want tests high for pesticides, go for the organic version instead. And remember - the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh risks of pesticide exposure. Dirty Dozen™ Plus highlights hot peppers and leafy greens - kale and collard greens - often tainted with unusually hazardous pesticides.

Table 1: Produce With the Most and Least Pesticides


Dirty Dozen

Clean 15

Apples
Celery
Cherry tomatoes
Cucumbers
Grapes
Hot peppers
Nectarines (imported)
Peaches
Potatoes
Spinach
Strawberries
Sweet bell peppers

*According to the Environmental Working Group, kale/collard greens and summer squash “do not meet traditional Dirty Dozen criteria but were commonly contaminated with pesticides exceptionally toxic to the nervous system.”

  

Asparagus
Avocados
Cabbage
Cantaloupe
Sweet corn
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Kiwi
Mangos
Mushrooms
Onions
Papayas
Pineapples
Sweet peas (frozen)
Sweet potatoes

 

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