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Non-profit says 75% of US conventional fruit and veg contain pesticide residues

Three-quarters of non-organic fruit and vegetables sold in the US contain pesticide residues, with PFAS “forever chemical” pesticides particularly frequent, says the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

The American non-profit released its annual 2026 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce report which indicated that 75% of non-organic or conventionally grown produce samples sold on the US market contained pesticide residues.

According to the findings, the most frequently detected pesticides across all fruits and vegetables were per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) pesticides, also known as 'forever chemicals' because of their persistence in the environment.

The PFAS fungicide fludioxonial was the most frequently detected overall, found in 14% of all produce samples and present in almost 90% of peach and plum samples. Two other PFAS pesticides, fluopyram and bifenthrin, were found in 8% and 7% of fruit and vegetable samples, respectively, detected most often on grapes and blackberries.

Annual findings were based on analysis of the latest US Department of Agriculture (USDA) testing data which covered 54,344 samples of 47 fruits and vegetables, peeled or scrubbed and washed ahead of testing.

According to EWG, the annual report was designed as a tool to inform shoppers. As part of the report, the non-profit ranked fruit and vegetable produce according to a methodology that measured pesticide contamination, tracking abundance, diversity, intensity and toxicity.

Its Dirty Dozen list of fruits and vegetables, for example, contained the highest levels of pesticide residues: spinach; kale, collard and mustard greens; strawberries; grapes; nectarines; peaches; cherries; apples; blackberries; pears; potatoes; and blueberries.

The Clean Fifteen list then indicated produce with the lowest pesticide residues: pineapples; sweet corn (fresh and frozen); avocados; papaya; onion; sweet peas (frozen); asparagus; cabbage; cauliflower; watermelon; mangos; bananas; carrots; mushrooms; and kiwi.

PFAS pesticides

“This year's findings underscore the presence of PFAS pesticides in the food supply,” said Varun Subramaniam, science analyst at EWG.

This was particularly apparent within EWG's Dirty Dozen list, where PFAS pesticides appeared on 63% of samples. Overall, a total of 203 different pesticides were detected in the fruits and vegetables from the twelve items in the list, with most items having an average of four or more pesticides per sample.

By contrast, only 16% of items in the Clean Fifteen list contained residues of two or more pesticides, with 60% of samples having no detectable pesticide residues.

Speaking to Ingredients Network, Dayna de Montagnac, associate scientist at EWG, said: “We can't say this year's analysis was a huge shock. Pesticide residues remain pervasive on fruits and vegetables sold in the US, but produce on the Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen are consistent with last year.”

What has come out as a “major focus” this year, however, is the presence of PFAS pesticides, Montagnac said. “At least trace amounts of PFAS pesticides were detected on all 47 fruit and vegetables in the USDA data. The highest detection were for peaches, plums, strawberries and grapes, with more than 80% of samples having residue of at least one PFAS pesticide.”

According to the EWG report, this raised concerns given the “significant research gaps” around PFAS pesticides and their impact on human health.

“Scientists are still figuring out how toxic these chemicals may be, particularly in real-world conditions, such as exposure to mixtures of multiple pesticides at once rather than sincle chemicals in isolation. Better understanding of PFAS in general suggests PFAS pesticides should get greater regulatory and scientific scrutiny,” the non-profit said.

In the meantime, Geoff Horsfield, legislative director at EWG, told Ingredients Network retailers and manufacturers should “look at their own supply chains” to prioritise growers and practices that reduce the worst pesticides, as well as explore the top-tier of certifications like USDA Organic and Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC).

“A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is essential”

Despite these findings, the EWG insisted that the goal of the report was to encourage consumption of fruits and vegetables, not deter it.

Montagnac said there were simple steps shoppers could take to reduce exposure, including opting for organic or frozen variants where possible, and washing all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consumption. The benefits of consuming fresh fruits and vegetables, she said, “outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure” and the report should be considered a “tool, not a rule, aimed at helping consumer prioritise organic versions of produce on the Dirty Dozen list”.