2017 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce
EWG (Environmental Working Group) released its 2017 Dirty Dozen guide. They report that 70% of non organic produce test positive for at least 1 pesticide. The USDA found a total of 178 different pesticides and pesticide breakdown products on the thousands of produce samples it analyzed. The pesticides persisted on fruits and vegetables even when they were washed and, in some cases, peeled.
There are stark differences in the number and amount of pesticides on various types of produce. When buying organic produce is not an option, use the Shopper's Guide to choose foods lower in pesticide residues.
The 2017 Dirty Dozen List & Clean 15 List
EWG’s Dirty Dozen
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Peaches
- Pears
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Celery
- Tomatoes
- Sweet Bell Peppers
- Potatoes
EWG’s Clean 15
The Clean 15 list includes produce that is least likely to be contaminated by pesticides.
- Sweet corn (often sold in the United States are GMOs, so its' best to choose organic)
- Avocados
- Pineapples
- Cabbage
- Onions
- Frozen Sweet Peas
- Papayas (often sold in the United States are GMOs, so its' best to choose organic)
- Asparagus
- Mangos
- Eggplant
- Honeydew
- Kiwi
- Cantaloupe
- Cauliflower
- Grapefruit
