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More than 70 percent of non-organic fresh produce sold in the U.S. contains residues of potentially harmful pesticides, EWG\u2019s 2022 Shopper\u2019s Guide to Pesticides in Produce<\/a>\u2122 finds.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s version of the guide, which analyzes the latest test data from the Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration, also reveals that over 50 percent of potatoes, spinach, lettuce and eggplant had detectable levels of at least one of three bee-killing neonic insecticides<\/a> banned in the European Union but still allowed for use on U.S. produce.<\/p>\n A critical part of a healthy diet includes a combination of fruits and vegetables, regardless of how they are grown. But anyone worried about consuming potentially harmful pesticides should know that many are found on many fruits and vegetables, even after they are washed, peeled or scrubbed, which the USDA does before testing.<\/p>\n The goal of EWG\u2019s Shopper\u2019s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, released every year since 2004, is to educate the public about fruits and vegetables with the highest and lowest pesticide residues so consumers can make the best decisions for their families.<\/p>\n The guide includes EWG\u2019s Dirty Dozen\u2122 and the Clean Fifteen\u2122, two lists that provide a quick consumer reference about the most and least contaminated produce.<\/p>\n Numerous peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that consuming produce high in pesticide residue, like the items on our Dirty Dozen list, increases the risk of certain negative health impacts, and that choosing organic can almost immediately reduce the amounts of residues in a person\u2019s body.<\/p>\n Recent research from Harvard University shows that consuming fruits and vegetables with high levels of pesticide residues may decrease the beneficial effects of fruit and vegetable consumption, including protection against cardiovascular disease <\/a> and mortality<\/a>.<\/p>\n EWG\u2019s 2022 Shopper\u2019s Guide to Pesticides in Produce combines data from USDA and FDA tests from 2020 and nine years earlier, with the exception of pineapple data, which is from 2002. The newest data released by the agencies included results of tests of nearly 45,000 samples of produce. The USDA does not test every type of produce every year.<\/p>\n The USDA also does not test fruits and vegetables for all pesticides used in crop production. For example, glyphosate is the most heavily used pesticide in the U.S., and it can be found in high levels on several grains and beans, such as oats and chickpeas. But the USDA has not analyzed these crops for glyphosate. This is troubling, because tests commissioned by EWG <\/a> found almost three-fourths of popular oat-based food samples, including many popular with children, had pesticide residue levels higher than what EWG scientists consider protective of children\u2019s health.<\/p>\n