Conventionally grown fruits and vegetables often have pesticide residues, even after washing and peeling.
However, residues are almost always below the limits set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (1).
Still, prolonged exposure to small amounts of pesticides can lead to health problems, including an increased risk of certain cancers and fertility problems (
The annual Clean Fifteen ™ list, published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), ranks fruits and vegetables with the lowest pesticide residue content, primarily based on USDA testing.
To develop the list, the EWG reviews 48 common non-organic fruits and vegetables, including products imported and grown in the US (4).
The ranking of each item reflects a combined score of six different methods for estimating pesticide contamination (5).
Here’s the 2018 Clean Fifteen list, starting with the least contaminated with pesticides.