EWG Shopper's Guide 2026
Dirty Dozen 2026: produce worth buying organic
The 2026 Dirty Dozen, the twelve fruits and vegetables with the most pesticide residues in government testing, ranked, with when organic is worth it.
| Rank | Produce | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spinach | Buy organic |
| 2 | Kale, collard and mustard greens | Buy organic |
| 3 | Strawberries | Buy organic |
| 4 | Grapes | Buy organic |
| 5 | Nectarines | Buy organic |
| 6 | Peaches | Buy organic |
| 7 | Cherries | Buy organic |
| 8 | Apples | Buy organic |
| 9 | Blackberries | Buy organic |
| 10 | Pears | Buy organic |
| 11 | Potatoes | Buy organic |
| 12 | Blueberries | Buy organic |
Source: Environmental Working Group, 2026 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce (published March 24, 2026), from USDA and FDA residue testing. We refresh the lists every spring when EWG publishes.
No. Residues on conventional produce are usually below legal limits, and eating fruits and vegetables matters more than how they were grown. The lists help spend an organic budget where residues are highest.
When you log a meal or check a label, produce on this list gets the advice above; anything on neither list is neutral. See also the Clean Fifteen 2026 and our clean ingredient rubric.