Here are the fruits and vegetables that have the most pesticides

Data from the latest report of the “Environmental Working Group” organization show that as many as 75 percent of non-organic fresh fruit and vegetable samples in 2024 contained pesticides, and some had very high levels. This data is part of a larger annual report on pesticides in produce that EVG publishes as a guide for consumers.

The report is based on data from testing of more than 47,000 samples of 46 different types of fruits and vegetables conducted by the US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. A total of 209 pesticides were detected on fruit and vegetable samples, with the most types of pesticides found in kale, spinach, as well as peppers and hot peppers.

EVG uses this data to compile a list of fruits and vegetables with the highest levels of potentially harmful pesticides, known as the “Drti Dozen”. This list includes strawberries, spinach, kale, rutabagas, grapes, peaches, pears, nectarines, apples, hot peppers, cherries, blueberries and legumes.

And some organic foods pose a high risk

A similar report, namely an analysis by Consumer Reports, also indicated that kale, watermelon, and even some organic foods pose a high risk of pesticides.

Watermelon, green beans and bell pepper are among many common fruits and vegetables found in supermarkets that contain potentially unsafe levels of pesticides, a Consumer Reports analysis shows.

The new report, which analyzed seven years of US Department of Agriculture data on commonly consumed fruits and vegetables, offers one of the most comprehensive assessments to date of pesticides found in American produce. The data is based on nearly 30,000 samples of fruits and vegetables, including fresh, frozen, canned and organic, collected by the USDA from supermarkets as part of routine pesticide testing.

Consumer Reports has built a huge database to analyze and rate different foods to provide helpful recommendations to help consumers shop and eat with less risk.

Consumer Reports found that pesticide residues pose a significant risk in approximately 20% of the 59 common foods examined in his research. Foods considered high-risk included conventionally grown (ie, non-organic) kale, blueberries, potatoes and peppers. Apples, grapes, peaches, tomatoes, spinach and celery were among the items considered moderate risk.

According to research, organic fruits and vegetables generally have far fewer pesticide residues than conventionally grown foods. But even a few organic foods posed some risk. E.g, imported green beans carried a high risk and domestic potatoes a moderate – raising the question of how these organic crops were contaminated with high-risk pesticides not approved for organic farming.

Imported, conventionally grown produce also posed a greater risk than US-grown food in the study. Foods grown in Mexico, such as strawberries and green beans, were of particular concern. The Mexican strawberries contained oxydemeton-methyl, part of a group of pesticides called organophosphates that are neurotoxins. This category of insecticides can overstimulate the nervous system at high exposure levels and disrupt the development of the nervous system in infants and children.

For Consumer Reports to consider a fruit or vegetable to be high risk, only a relatively small portion of the samples had to be contaminated. The testing involved hundreds of samples of each food collected from American supermarkets over seven years. Only 4% of green bean samples tested had a high level of pesticide risk.

However, some of the levels found in the contaminated beans were alarming: One sample of 2022 green beans had levels of methamidophos that were 100 times higher than the level Consumer Reports scientists consider safe. It’s methamidophos prohibited in the USA and on the import of green beans more than a decade, which raises the question of why it still appears in supermarket products.

It’s important to note that Consumer Reports scientists have stricter standards for what they consider safe from the standards of the Environmental Protection Agency – a US government body. The Food and Agriculture Alliance, an agricultural industry organization, notes that 99% of vegetables tested by the USDA meet the government’s safety standards for pesticide residues. But many scientists — including those behind the Consumer Reports study — believe the EPA’s tolerances are often set too high, which puts consumers at risk.

The strongest evidence of the dangers posed by pesticides comes from farmers and pesticide applicators, who are exposed to much higher levels of chemicals when applied to crops. Exposure to pesticides at work is linked to a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease, several forms of cancer, diabetes and other health problems.

When it comes to consumers, the risks of consuming pesticide-contaminated food grow over time. For most of the population, a single serving of contaminated fruit is unlikely to cause harm – but routine consumption of contaminated fruit or vegetables over months or years increases the risk.

Pesticides can also interfere with hormones responsible for the development of key body systems, especially the reproductive system, the Guardian reports.