Overview
- EWG, releasing its 2026 Shopper’s Guide on Tuesday, reported that more than 60% of samples from its Dirty Dozen list contained pesticides that researchers classify as PFAS, often called forever chemicals.
- Using USDA tests on 54,344 washed and peeled samples covering 47 produce types, the analysis found 264 pesticides in total, with 203 detected on Dirty Dozen items.
- Spinach ranked highest for pesticide load, and the group said most Dirty Dozen foods averaged four or more different residues per sample even after standard washing.
- Crop trade groups, including CropLife America and the Alliance for Food and Farming, said the presence of residues does not mean food is unsafe and noted that over 99% of tested produce was below EPA limits, while EPA links several PFAS to cancer and other harms.
- EWG urged shoppers to cut exposure by choosing more from the Clean Fifteen list, buying organic versions of high-residue items when possible, and washing produce under running water before eating.