Since its inception in 1993, EWG has fought for consumers’ rights to live healthier lives in a healthy environment. EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™, updated every year since 2004, ranks pesticide contamination of 48 popular fruits and vegetables.
The 2017 Dirty Dozen List is based on results of more than 35,200 samples of produce tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration. It is important to note that the samples are tested for pesticides after they have been prepared to be eaten. This means the produce is thoroughly washed and, when applicable, peeled. After these preparations, pesticide residues are still detected on many of the fruits and veggies.
Every day, consumers rely on EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to help them make the best choices for their families and reduce their exposures to toxic pesticides
2017 Dirty Dozen List
Below is their 2017 list from MOST contaminated to LEAST:
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Peaches
- Pears
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Celery
- Tomatoes
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Potatoes
And here is a list of the Clean 15, from LEAST contaminated to MOST:
- Sweet corn*
- Avocados
- Pineapples
- Cabbage
- Onions
- Sweet peas frozen
- Papayas*
- Asparagus
- Mangos
- Eggplant
- Honeydew melon
- kiwi
- Cantaloup
- Cauliflower
- Grapefruit
* A small amount of sweet corn, papaya and summer squash sold in the United States is produced from genetically modified seeds. Buy organic varieties of these crops if you want to avoid genetically modified produce.
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