HOUSEHOLD

When it comes to eating well, most of us are trying to balance nutrition, budget, and food quality. Organic produce is often seen as the gold standard, but it isn’t always affordable or accessible for everyone. This is where the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen come in.

These two lists, updated annually using the latest pesticide residue testing data, highlight which fruits and vegetables are most and least likely to carry pesticide residues. Understanding them helps you make informed, realistic choices without overhauling your entire food shop. This can be a great place to start if the idea of changing up your entire shopping list feels overwhelming or too expensive!

What Are the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen?

The Dirty Dozen is a list of the 12 fruits and vegetables that consistently show the highest levels of pesticide residues, even after washing and peeling. These are the items most worth buying organic whenever possible.

The Clean Fifteen highlights produce with the lowest pesticide