Should You Avoid the "Dirty Dozen"?

adhd brain development cancer dirty dozen fungicides herbicides hormone disruptions insecticides organic foods pesticides reproductive issues Apr 19, 2025

A colorful collection of fruits and vegetables, representing the "Dirty Dozen" list of produce with the highest levels of pesticide residues.

Organic food is more popular than ever — U.S. sales nearly doubled from 26.9 billion in 2010 to 52 billion dollars in 2021.¹

What’s driving this trend? One big reason is concern about pesticides in our food.²

Every year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases the “Dirty Dozen” — a list of 12 fruits and vegetables with the highest levels of pesticide residues when grown the conventional way.³

But should you actually avoid the foods on this list? Let’s break it all down in this article:

What are the “Dirty Dozen”?
What pesticides were found on the “Dirty Dozen”?
Pesticides on your plate: Should you be worried?

Wondering if your favorite produce made the cut? Keep reading to find out.

What is the “Dirty Dozen”?

The EWG is a non-profit that works to educate people about farming practices and the impact of chemicals like pesticides on human health.⁴

Pesticides are often used in farming to protect crops from insects, weeds, and diseases. There are different types of pesticides, such as insecticides (for bugs), herbicides (for weeds), fungicides (for molds and other fungi), as well as disinfectants, repellents, and “biopesticides” from natural sources.⁵

In 2024, the EWG analyzed data from tests done by the Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on 47,510 samples of 46 fruits and vegetables. Among these 46 items, the 12 most contaminated with pesticides were strawberries; spinach; kale, collard, and mustard greens; grapes; peaches; pears; nectarines; apples; bell and hot peppers; cherries; blueberries; and green beans.⁶

What pesticides were found on the “Dirty Dozen”?

The EWG found 209 different pesticides across its 2024 “Dirty Dozen”. Overall, 95 percent of samples from these fruits and vegetables had pesticide residues — and not just one type. More than 90 percent of strawberries, apples, cherries, spinach, nectarines, and grapes had two or more pesticides on them. And some samples had up to 23 different pesticides.⁶

The main offenders were fungicides, with the top four being fludioxonil, pyrimethanil, boscalid, and pyraclostrobin. These chemicals are often sprayed even after harvesting to keep fruits and veggies fresh on the shelf. That might be why they show up in such high amounts.⁶

Fludioxonil was found on nearly 90 percent of peach samples and about one in four blueberries. Studies suggest that this chemical may harm fetal development, affect immune cells, and disrupt hormone activity.^7,8

Besides fludioxonil, pyrimethanil showed up in high concentrations on pears. This substance is a suspected hormone disruptor and may harm the male reproductive system.⁹

Boscalid, which may cause cancer, was found on 46 percent of blueberry samples.⁸

Traces of carbendazim, another fungicide, were also found on about 33 percent and 16 percent of pear and strawberry samples, respectively. Banned in the European Union, carbendazim is linked to cancer and reproductive issues.^9,10

Diphenylamine, which is used on fruits in cold storage to prevent browning, was found on pears and apples. This fungicide is banned in Europe because it can form nitrosamines, which are linked to stomach and esophageal cancer.^9,11

While fungicides were the most common, many samples also contained insecticides. One of the most concerning ones is permethrin, which was detected on 76 percent of spinach samples. Some studies have linked even low-level exposure to permethrin with brain development and attention problems in children.¹²

Another insecticide, phosmet, was found on blueberries along with malathion. Both belong to a group called organophosphates, which are especially harmful to young children’s brains.⁸

Kale, collard, and mustard greens had high levels of bifenthrin and cypermethrin. These chemicals were found on blueberries and strawberries as well. Research shows that bifenthrin and cypermethrin may increase the risk of neurological issues like ADHD. If that’s not bad enough, bifenthrin can sometimes also cause cancer.^8,10,13

Imidacloprid and acetamiprid showed up on peaches, pears, blueberries, and apples. These insecticides are known for harming bees and other pollinators — but studies suggest they may also affect brain development in children.^7,8,9,11

Green beans contained traces of acephate and methamidophos. These insecticides are known to harm the developing nervous system.¹⁴

Herbicides made an appearance too. DCPA, often marketed as Dacthal, was one of the main herbicides found, particularly on leafy greens like kale and collard greens. This chemical is classified as a possible human carcinogen and has been linked to liver and thyroid tumors.¹³

Pesticides on your plate: Should you be worried?

You might be thinking that pesticides are supposed to be tightly regulated and used in safe amounts. Isn’t that the job of government organizations like the FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)? Technically, yes. But the real question is how well is that working? This was the question the EWG sought to answer by testing conventional produce for pesticide residues.^3,15

Managing real-world exposure isn’t always simple. Some foods, like strawberries and blueberries, are getting eaten in larger quantities than in the past. The average American eats about eight pounds of strawberries a year, and blueberry consumption has tripled since the early 2000s. These trends mean people are likely taking in more pesticide residues than expected.^8,10

Some vegetables, like spinach and beans, have been found with pesticide levels that exceed legal safety limits. One sample of green beans had acephate at a concentration 500 times higher than what the EPA allows.^12,14

Then there’s DCPA, which doesn’t always stay where it’s sprayed. It can drift into the air and even make its way into nearby homes. A 2019 study from the University of California at Berkeley found that over half of adolescent girls in California’s Salinas Valley farm communities had been exposed to DCPA. And in 2019 and 2020, groundwater tests found DCPA breakdown products at concerning levels in several places. Officials are still trying to understand how serious the contamination is and what it means for public health.¹³

Even small amounts of pesticide exposure can add up over time, especially for children, whose bodies and brains are still developing. So while eating one conventional apple or salad won’t kill you right away, the effects of long-term exposure to multiple pesticides can definitely add up. That’s why the EWG recommends buying organic when possible — especially the foods on the “Dirty Dozen” list.^16,17

Conclusion

The health effects of pesticide exposure from the “Dirty Dozen” foods usually depend on the dose — how much, how often, and over how long. You don’t have to panic if you eat non-organic produce now and then. But when it comes to foods that consistently rank high in pesticide residues, it’s a smart move to reduce your exposure when you can. Choosing organic versions of these items is the simplest way to do that, especially if they’re part of your regular diet.

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References

Should You Avoid the "Dirty Dozen"?

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