The Updated Dirty Dozen: Find Out Which Produce Contains the Highest Levels of Pesticides

Buying only organic produce can be costly, but relying solely on conventionally grown fruits and vegetables might expose you to a range of pesticides linked to various health and environmental problems, including chemicals already banned by the Environmental Protection Agency.

That's why each year, the Environmental Working Group publishes two important lists: The Dirty Dozen, which highlights the produce most contaminated with pesticides as identified by the United States Department of Agriculture, and The Clean 15, which features fruits and vegetables with the least pesticide residues.

This year, blueberries and green beans joined the Dirty Dozen, while carrots made their way into the Clean 15.

To reduce your exposure to pesticides, consider choosing organic for the produce listed in the Dirty Dozen, and feel free to select conventionally grown options from the Clean 15. Here's the list, along with details about the pesticides on your fruits and vegetables, to help you make informed decisions while shopping.

The Dirty Dozen Produce

Testing revealed that these fruits and vegetables contained 210 different pesticides and insecticides, including chemicals banned by the Environmental Protection Agency. Since many of these items have thin, edible skins (or no skin at all), it can be difficult to remove pesticide residue, even with thorough washing.

1. Strawberries

Almost every non-organic strawberry tested showed signs of pesticide contamination (99 percent), and these were the produce most likely to remain contaminated, even after washing both in the field and at home.

2. Spinach

Spinach ranks high on the Dirty Dozen list, as it carries more pesticide residue by weight than any other produce, with an average of seven different pesticides found in each sample.

3. Kale, collard, and mustard greens

Kale is a popular superfood, but around 60 percent of conventionally grown kale and other leafy greens contain traces of DCPA, a pesticide that has been linked to possible carcinogenic effects and is banned in Europe.

4. Peaches

Recent testing by the Department of Agriculture revealed 56 different pesticides on conventionally grown peaches. One of these, fludioxonil, a hormone-disrupting fungicide, was present on nearly 90 percent of the samples.

5. Pears

The variety of pesticides found on pears has grown considerably since the previous testing in 2016. Almost two-thirds of pear samples had residues of five or more pesticides, a significant rise from 48 percent in 2016.

6. Nectarines

More than half of nectarine samples were found to contain formetanate hydrochloride, a neurotoxin, while 43 percent tested positive for fludioxonil, a hormone-disrupting fungicide that is also potentially harmful to bees.

7. Apples

A controversial chemical, diphenylamine, is the reason conventionally grown apples are included in the Dirty Dozen list. This chemical is sprayed on apples after harvest to prevent browning or black patches during storage. However, diphenylamine may break down into nitrosamines, which have been linked to an increased risk of stomach and esophageal cancer.

8. Grapes

Conventionally grown grapes have been found to contain 56 different pesticide residues, including eight substances that are probable carcinogens, 17 suspected hormone disruptors, and 10 neurotoxins, according to What's on My Food.

9. Bell and hot peppers

Over 50 different pesticides were detected on bell pepper samples, including 21 suspected hormone disruptors, 10 neurotoxins, and three probable carcinogens.

10. Cherries

Samples of conventionally grown cherries were found to have 42 different pesticide residues, including 20 suspected hormone disruptors and five probable carcinogens.

11. Blueberries

Blueberries have made their return to the list this year after a short break. This is because more than 90 percent of the 765 non-organic blueberry samples tested showed traces of pesticides—an increase of 9 percent since 2014—with nearly 80 percent of the samples contaminated with two or more pesticides.

12. Green Beans

Almost 90 percent of the green bean samples tested were found to contain pesticides, including acephate, an insecticide that was banned in 2011. One sample had pesticide levels 500 times higher than the EPA's allowed limit!

The Clean 15 Fruits and Vegetables

For those seeking to save money, these 15 conventionally grown fruits and vegetables contained the least amount of pesticides, according to the Environmental Working Group. In fact, nearly two-thirds of these foods had no detectable pesticide residue! Many of these items benefited from having a tough (and inedible) outer skin that protected them from pesticide exposure. Just be sure to wash the skin before cutting into the fruit or vegetable to avoid transferring any chemicals inside.

If you're aiming to lower your pesticide exposure, you can still save money by opting for conventionally grown avocados, onions, and other similar items.

1. Avocados

Avocados top the list in this category, as just 1 percent of samples showed traces of pesticide—imiprothrin, which has no known health or environmental risks, according to What's on My Food.

2. Sweet Corn

Conventionally grown sweet corn is unlikely to have pesticide contamination. Only three types of pesticide residues were detected, affecting about 1 percent of the samples.

3. Pineapple

Pineapple samples from conventional farming were found to have six types of pesticide residues, but less than 5 percent of the samples contained them.

4. Onions

None of the six top-ranked "Clean 15" fruits and vegetables—including onions—showed traces of more than three pesticides in testing.

5. Papaya

The most frequently detected pesticide on papayas, boscalid, has been flagged as a potential carcinogen, yet it appeared on just 8 percent of the samples.

6. Frozen Sweet Peas

Frozen pea samples contained twelve different pesticides, with dimethoate being the most prevalent, appearing in 12 percent of the samples.

7. Asparagus

Conventionally grown asparagus contained nine different pesticide residues. The most commonly found, methomyl, appeared in 4.4 percent of samples and is a neurotoxin, suspected hormone disruptor, and potential bee toxin.

8. Honeydew Melon

Since the 2020 ranking, Honeydew melon has risen from 14th place to the 8th position on the list.

9. Kiwi

A nutrient-dense powerhouse and genuine superfood, kiwi has climbed higher on the Clean 15 list, now securing the ninth spot this year.

10. Cabbage

The vast majority of cabbage showed little to no pesticide residue. The most commonly found pesticide, imidacloprid, which is a known bee toxin, appeared in fewer than 10 percent of the samples.

11. Mushrooms

Thiabendazole, the most frequently detected pesticide on mushrooms, was present in around 50 percent of the samples tested.

12. Mangoes

Thiabendazole, the primary pesticide found on mangoes, was present in 16 percent of the samples, with minimal detection of other pesticides.

13. Sweet Potatoes

Dicloran, the most frequently detected pesticide on sweet potatoes, appeared in nearly half of the samples and is considered a potential carcinogen.

14. Watermelon

The primary pesticides detected on watermelon are bee toxins such as thiamethoxam and imidacloprid, both of which were present in 11 percent of the samples analyzed.

15. Carrots

Carrots have made their debut on the Clean 15 list this year, pushing cantaloupe off the list.