Each year the non-profit Environmental Working Group publishes a list of 47 fruits and vegetables ranked by the degree of pesticide contamination found on the foods. As they state in their report:
“Peer-reviewed science shows that pesticides are harmful to health, including disruption of the hormone system and developmental harms.”
Note that the health risks of pesticide consumption are greatest for children, born or unborn.
The 12 foods with the highest levels of contamination are designated as the “Dirty Dozen,” and the 15 with the lowest levels are called the “Clean Fifteen.”
All of the foods tested are conventionally grown (not organic); more than 95% of them had detectable pesticides, often of several kinds. For the purposes of this article, we’ll skip over the implications of that disturbing fact for all living things on Earth and focus on human consumption.
Here’s this year’s Dirty Dozen, worst first, which were found to me contaminated with a total of 203 pesticides.
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Kale, collard and mustard greens
- Grapes
- Peaches
- Cherries
- Nectarines
- Pears
- Apples
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Potatoes
EWG noted that peppers (bell and hot) green beans, ranked #13 and #14, also scored high in overall pesticide toxicity.
And these are the Clean Fifteen for 2025:
- Pineapple
- Sweet corn (fresh and frozen)
- Avocados
- Papaya
- Onions
- Sweet peas (frozen)
- Asparagus
- Cabbage
- Watermelon
- Cauliflower
- Bananas
- Mangoes
- Carrots
- Mushrooms
- Kiwi
If you want to avoid eating pesticides (and who doesn’t?), here are a few ways to use this information:
- Avoid the Dirty Dozen and embrace the Clean Fifteen.
- Buy organic: Although organic foods are not completely pesticide free, levels of contamination are much lower. The other benefit of buying organic is that you are supporting agricultural practices that do not threaten the other animals and plants that make up our ecosystem.
Still, organic foods are sometimes more expensive, so another option is to choose organic versions of the Dirty Dozen and non-organic versions of the Clean Fifteen.
- Wash and/or soak fruits and vegetables as part of their preparation. Here are US Food and Drug Administration guidelines:
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- Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and after preparing fresh produce.
- If damage or bruising occurs before eating or handling, cut away the damaged or bruised areas before preparing or eating.
- Rinse produce BEFORE you peel it, so dirt and bacteria aren’t transferred from the knife onto the fruit or vegetable.
- Gently rub produce while holding under plain running water. There’s no need to use soap or a produce wash.
- Use a clean vegetable brush to scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers.
- Dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present.
- Remove the outermost leaves of a head of lettuce or cabbage.
The Colorado State University Guide to Washing Fresh Produce offers more detailed guidelines, including the advice that “Washing produce before storing may promote bacterial growth and speed up spoilage, so it is often recommended to wait and wash fruits and vegetables just before use.”
Some people like to soak produce using baking soda or vinegar. Consumer Reports has reported on the effectiveness of those practices.
And though produce should always be washed, that unfortunately does not remove all pesticides, since those can enter a plant through its roots.1
There aren’t many things you can do for yourself or your family that are as healthy as eating plenty of vegetables. Follow these guidelines and you can do that with fewer concerns about what’s on them or in them.
