Leafy greens such as spinach and perennial kid favorites such as strawberries and grapes held the highest levels of potentially harmful pesticide residues based on government tests, according to the 2026 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
Nectarines, peaches, cherries, apples, blackberries, pears, potatoes and blueberries filled out this year’s “Dirty Dozen” most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables, according to the report released Tuesday by the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, a health advocacy organization.
Spinach, which holds the top spot, had more pesticide residue by weight than any other type of produce and contained, on average, four or more different types of pesticides, according to EWG, which has published the annual report since 2004.
Samples of every produce type averaged four or more pesticides, except for potatoes, which averaged two. Consuming produce with multiple pesticides is concerning, experts say, because exposure to mixtures of pesticides may accumulate and raise risk.
To do the report, EWG examined the most recent pesticide residue tests conducted by the US Department of Agriculture on 54,344 samples of 47 fruits and vegetables.
Before the USDA examines each sample, the fruit or vegetable is peeled or scrubbed and thoroughly washed to mimic consumer behavior at home. Even after taking those steps, testing found traces of 264 pesticides — of those, 203 appeared on Dirty Dozen produce.
Health impacts of pesticides
Pesticides have been potentially linked in past studies to premature births, congenital malformations such as neural tube defects, spontaneous abortions and an increase in genetic damage in humans. Exposure to pesticides has also been associated with lower sperm concentrations, heart disease, cancer and other disorders.
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Children are especially susceptible to contaminants such as pesticides, even while in the womb, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Pesticide exposure during pregnancy may lead to an increased risk of birth defects, low birth weight and fetal death,” according to the AAP. “Exposure in childhood has been linked to attention and learning problems, as well as cancer.”
The Alliance for Food and Farming, which represents organic and conventional produce farmers, has been a long-standing critic of the annual report.
Prior reports by the USDA and the US Food and Drug Administration have shown that when “farmers use pesticides, they follow the stringent laws and regulations governing pesticide use to provide safe and healthy fruits and vegetables for America’s families, including their own,” an AFF spokesperson said in a statement.
“The mere presence of a residue does not automatically mean something is unsafe. The EPA sets limits on pesticide residues that already include huge safety margins to protect infants and children.”
Forever chemicals in our food
For the first time, the report found over 60% of all Dirty Dozen samples contain pesticides that are also “forever chemicals” called PFAS. The top three most frequently detected pesticides on produce were these perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
PFAS are called forever chemicals because their molecular bonds can take years to decades — even centuries — to completely break down in the environment.
“The PFAS pesticide is the active ingredient in these products because it’s effective at killing things — which is the very reason why it’s so concerning to public health and the environment at large,” Bernadette Del Chiaro, EWG’s senior vice president for California operations, told CNN in a recent interview.
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Several PFAS chemicals have been linked to cancer, obesity, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, decreased fertility, liver damage, hormone disruption and damage to the immune system, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Some of these chemicals can cause harm at levels of a billionth of a gram.
“Unfortunately, there’s no way to contain the harm,” Del Chiaro said. “We can’t just harm the mold spores or insects on a peach and not potentially harm the little kid that eats the peach. The fact that we’re intentionally spraying forever chemicals on the produce we’re buying at the grocery store is a real eye-opener.”
A spokesperson for CropLife America, which represents the pesticide industry, told CNN in an email that EWG’s “annual fearmongering campaign promotes distrust in our food system and the tools farmers use to protect their crops against weeds, pests, and diseases.”
“The facts are that over 99% of tested produce falls well below the Environmental Protection Agency’s gold-standard safety limits.”
Reducing pesticide exposure from produce
As part of the annual report, EWG also creates an annual “Clean Fifteen” — a list of nonorganic produce with the least amount of pesticide residue.
This year, nearly 60% of the Clean Fifteen samples had no detectable pesticide residues. Pineapple, sweet corn and avocados topped the list as the least contaminated of all produce tested. Next came papaya, onions, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, watermelon, mangoes, bananas, carrots, mushrooms and kiwi.
The solution is not to stop eating fresh produce, expert stress. Fruits and vegetables are the backbone of a healthy diet, so the key is to eat as many different types of fruits and veggies as possible.
Choosing more of the Clean Fifteen and less of the Dirty Dozen — or buying organic versions of the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables is an excellent way to reduce pesticide exposure, said EWG science analyst Varun Subramaniam.
Studies have shown that eating more organic than conventionally grown foods can reduce levels of pesticides in humans, he added.
“There are oftentimes organic options in the freezer section, too,” Subramaniam said. “But if you can’t find organic versions of blackberries, for example, we know any washing is better than none.”
All produce, even organic, should be washed before peeling so dirt and bacteria aren’t transferred from a knife onto the fruit or vegetable, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. After washing, dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Firm produce such as carrots, cucumbers, melons and potatoes can be scrubbed with a clean vegetable brush under running water, the FDA said. All other produce can be gently rubbed while being rinsed. There is no need to use bleach, soap or a produce wash — fruits and vegetables are porous and can absorb those chemicals.
Remove the outermost leaves of cabbage, lettuce and other leafy greens and rinse each leaf carefully — but don’t blast your greens with water, or you’ll bruise them.
Experts said it’s best to use low-pressure water that is warmer than your produce and a colander to spin the greens dry. Don’t forget to wash the colander afterward. Exceptions are “triple-washed” bagged greens, which the FDA said do not need an additional wash.
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