Each year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization focused on environmental and public health research and advocacy, uses data from the USDA to identify conventional (non-organic) produce with the highest and lowest levels of pesticide residue. The group organizes these fruits and veggies into lists called the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen.”
The 2025 lists were just released, and this year, there are two newcomers to the “Clean Fifteen.” In good news, of them is the most-consumed fruit in the world.
How The EWG Determines The Clean Fifteen
Of the produce analyzed–over 53,000 samples of 47 types of produce–the Clean Fifteen represents the fruits and veggies with the least amount of pesticide residue. “Only 40% of samples across all commodities on the Clean Fifteen detected any pesticides at all,” says EWG associate scientist Varun Subramaniam, M.S. He explains that at least one sample for each commodity on the Clean Fifteen tested positive for pesticides, but that on average less than one pesticide was detected, compared to more than five detected on the Dirty Dozen produce.
The methodology for this year’s Shopper’s Guide was updated to reflect not just pesticide concentrations and frequency, but their toxicity, according to the EWG’s press release.
The 2025 Clean Fifteen
“Fruits and vegetables on the Clean Fifteen had a considerably lower number, concentration, and toxicity of pesticides than those on the Dirty Dozen,” Subramaniam says.
Coming in at number one is pineapple, which means it would be the “cleanest” of the list. New to the list this year are cauliflower (10th place) and bananas in 11th place. According to The Guardian, bananas are the most consumed fruit in the world.
“Of all 47 produce items on the 2025 Shopper’s Guide, bananas were among those with the lowest pesticide toxicity,” Subramaniam says. Even better news—bananas were analyzed for pesticides after being peeled.
So what does this mean about the pesticides on bananas? While it’s unclear which specific pesticides were detected, the fact that they’re on the Clean Fifteen out of the 47 types of produce tested means that they are likely to have fewer and less toxic pesticides than many other fruits. As EWG points out, “This is good news for parents, since bananas are a staple ingredient in the diets of babies and toddlers.”
What else is on the Clean Fifteen? Here’s the full list:
- Pineapples
- Sweet Corn (fresh and frozen)
- Avocados
- Papaya
- Onion
- Sweet Peas (frozen)
- Asparagus
- Cabbage
- Watermelon
- Cauliflower
- Bananas
- Mangoes
- Carrots
- Mushrooms
- Kiwis
What Does This Mean For Eating Produce?
Not everyone is a fan of EWG’s Shopper’s Guide, with the general argument that it can scare people from consuming fruits and veggies. In a 2023 op-ed in The Seattle Times, a dietitian nutritionist argued that the Dirty Dozen list “is misguided.” The Dirty Dozen list has been criticized for using a ranking system that treats all pesticides equally, without considering their toxicity or the safety thresholds set by the EPA, which can create unnecessary fear about eating conventional produce and potentially discourage people from consuming enough fruits and vegetables
But now, with updated methodology, the EWG has adjusted its ranking system to look at not just pesticides detected, but how harmful they are.
“Everyone should eat more fruits and vegetables—organic or conventional,” EWG Senior Scientist Alexa Friedman, Ph.D., said in a press release. She explained that the EWG’s Shopper’s Guide is a good tool for those who want to reduce pesticide exposure. “EWG recommends shoppers seeking fresh produce with low pesticide residues buy organic versions of items on EWG’s Dirty Dozen and either organic or conventional versions of produce on the Clean Fifteen.”
As always, it’s important to wash your produce before consuming. Check out our guide on how to wash produce.
