Pesticides help protect crops from pests and diseases, but they’re still on the fruits and vegetables we eat, even after washing. They can be bad for our health, affecting hormones and fertility, and raising the risk of chronic illnesses, so it’s important to know if what you’re eating is covered in the chemicals.
To help us make informed decisions at the store, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has just come out with their 2026 Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
- The health advocacy group has published it every year since 2004 and this year’s edition is based on data from pesticide residue testing done by the USDA, covering over 54-thousand samples on 47 types of fruits and veggies.
- Before the testing, the produce is all rinsed under running water for 15 to 20 seconds, and inedible peels - like on citrus and avocados - are removed.
- The EWG ranks the produce into the Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen lists based on which has the most and least pesticide residue left on it.
- Even after the washing, traces of 264 pesticides were still found on the samples.
- This year’s Dirty Dozen list also contains PFAS - or “forever chemicals” on some of the produce.
- Almost 60% of the Clean Fifteen samples showed no detectable pesticide residues, but 96% of the Dirty Dozen did.
- The EWG suggests buying organic or conventional options from the Clean Fifteen list and only organic versions of the Dirty Dozen items when you can.
The 2026 Clean Fifteen List (Buy organic or conventional)
- Pineapple
- Sweet corn
- Avocados
- Papaya
- Onion
- Sweet peas
- Asparagus
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Watermelon
- Mangoes
- Bananas
- Carrots
- Mushrooms
- Kiwi
The 2026 Dirty Dozen List (Only buy organic)
- Spinach
- Kale, collard, and mustard greens
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Cherries
- Apples
- Blackberries
- Pears
- Potatoes
- Blueberries
Source: Environmental Working Group