Food & Drink / Products / Pesticide Residue on Fresh Produce (EWG Dirty Dozen / Clean Fifteen)

Pesticide Residue on Fresh Produce (EWG Dirty Dozen / Clean Fifteen) — food safety profile

Moderate risk

Pesticide residues on conventionally grown fruits and vegetables.

What is this product?

Pesticide residues on conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. EWG Dirty Dozen (highest residue): strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, bell peppers, cherries, peaches, pears, celery, tomatoes. USDA PDP: 70% of conventional produce has detectable pesticide residues. Organic produce has 90% lower residue levels. Washing reduces surface residues 50-80% but cannot remove systemic pesticides absorbed into plant tissue.

What's in it

Click any compound name for its full safety profile, regulatory consensus, and exposure data.

Herbicide Residue

Insecticide Residue

Who's most at risk

  • Children — Developing endocrine and neurological systems, higher exposure per body weight

Red flags — when to walk away

  • No testing data or regulatory oversight for this food category — Potential contaminant exposure without monitoring.

Green flags — what to look for

  • USDA Organic or third-party tested — Lower contaminant levels verified.

Safer alternatives

  • USDA Organic produce for Dirty Dozen crops — Alternative
  • EWG Clean Fifteen conventional crops — lowest residue
  • Home garden with no pesticide application — Alternative

Frequently asked questions

Who should be careful with Pesticide Residue on Fresh Produce (EWG Dirty Dozen / Clean Fifteen)?

Vulnerable populations identified for this product type: children.

Are there safer alternatives to Pesticide Residue on Fresh Produce (EWG Dirty Dozen / Clean Fifteen)?

Yes — consider: USDA Organic produce for Dirty Dozen crops; EWG Clean Fifteen conventional crops; Home garden with no pesticide application. See the Safer alternatives section above for details.

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Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific information. Why we built ALETHEIA →