Clean 15 and Dirty dozen

The Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen are two lists published annually by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to help consumers make informed choices about produce and pesticide exposure.

The Dirty Dozen refers to the 12 types of fruits and vegetables that tend to have the highest levels of pesticide residues when grown conventionally. These include popular foods like strawberries, spinach, apples, and grapes. For these items, buying organic is often recommended when possible to reduce pesticide intake.

The Clean 15 highlights the 15 types of produce that typically contain the least pesticide residues. These include avocados, sweet corn, pineapple, onions, and asparagus. These foods tend to have protective outer layers or grow in ways that reduce their exposure to pesticides, making them safer to buy conventionally if needed.

Using these lists can help individuals prioritise which foods to buy organic and which are generally lower-risk when purchased non-organic, helping to reduce overall exposure to harmful chemicals while staying budget-conscious. I’m just going to raise that although “cleaner” some of the foods listed can be genetically modified so it’s important to keep in mind that they reached this list because of their low detectable pesticide residue levels. If you are wanting to avoid GM foods you might need to choose organic for the well-known GM products (like sweet corn) too.

Below are the lists according to the EWG (2024):