Potentially toxic pesticide residue still found on 70 percent of non-organic fresh fruits and vegetables

WASHINGTON – Today the Environmental Working Group announced that strawberries, spinach and leafy greens are again the top offenders on its 2022 Dirty Dozen™ – a list of the most pesticide-contaminated fresh fruits and vegetables, based on the latest tests by the Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration.

Pesticide residues were found on over 70 percent of the non-organic produce tested by the USDA and FDA, continuing a problem highlighted in last year’s report.

The Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen™ are EWG’s lists of the most and least pesticide-contaminated conventionally grown fruits and vegetables, respectively. They are components of the annual Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™, a popular report EWG has released since 2004 to help consumers navigate the produce section of their grocery stores.