Popular berries like blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries are often laden with pesticides.
Blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries are listed in the 'Dirty Dozen' for high pesticide levels.
The information comes from the annual 2026 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit health advocacy organization, has produced the guide since 2004.
The 2026 Dirty Dozen list also includes cherries, apples, pears, grapes, peaches, nectarines, kale, and spinach.
Kid-favorite berries consistently remain in the Dirty Dozen year after year.
Raspberries are a bright spot and are not included in the 2026 Dirty Dozen list.
Raspberries are excluded from the list partly due to their specific growing methods.
Raspberries rank much closer to EWG’s 'Clean Fifteen' group, which includes fruits and vegetables with the fewest pesticides.
Raspberries came in at 22 in the EWG rankings.
EWG calculates its ratings from testing performed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Pesticide exposure is linked to various health issues, though safety levels are debated.
Critics, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), argue that US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) benchmark levels for pesticides are too high.
Critics believe current levels fail to address the health impact of long-term, cumulative exposure to multiple pesticides.
According to the AAP, pesticide exposure during pregnancy may increase risks of birth defects, low birth weight, and fetal death.
Childhood exposure to pesticides has been linked to attention and learning problems, as well as cancer.
Studies associate pesticides with lower sperm concentrations, heart disease, cancer, and increased genetic damage in humans.
The Alliance for Food and Farming states that the mere presence of a residue does not automatically mean something is unsafe.
The EPA sets limits on pesticide residues that already include huge safety margins to protect infants and children.
Pesticides are categorized by how they reside on produce, affecting their removability.
Many 'contact' pesticides that sit on the surface of a fruit or vegetable can be effectively removed.
This information is provided by Peng Gao, an assistant professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
'Systemic' pesticides are absorbed through a plant's roots and leaves, becoming part of the fruit and cannot be washed off.
If concerned about pesticides, buying organic versions of the most pesticide-laden produce, including berries, is the best solution if affordable.
Organic farming prohibits most synthetic pesticides, often using naturally derived alternatives.
Wind and water runoff from neighboring conventional farms can occasionally contaminate organic farms, potentially leading to organic license loss.
Studies show that eating more organic foods decreased pesticide levels in people's bodies by up to 95% in days.
Experts say feeding a child organic food from the start can dramatically reduce risk.
Specific washing methods can reduce contact pesticides if organic options are not available.
For those unable to afford organic produce, a short soak in baking soda or vinegar can reduce contact pesticide levels.
This method is supported by a peer-reviewed April report by EWG scientists.
The EWG review analyzed 47 studies globally on various produce washing methods, including tap water.
Rinsing or soaking in water showed the lowest median pesticide reduction of about 30%.
Soaking with vinegar or baking soda achieved the highest median pesticide reduction, around 50%, across all pesticides and produce.
Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne, an assistant professor at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, affirmed these findings.
Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne was not involved with the EWG review.
Follow specific steps for washing produce, especially berries, to maximize pesticide removal and prevent spoilage.
Use one teaspoon of baking soda per two cups of water and soak most produce for five to ten minutes.
The mildly alkaline baking soda solution helps degrade many contact pesticides on the surface.
Berries only require soaking for one to two minutes due to their high water content and thin skin.
Berries' high water content and thin skin absorb solutions, meaning shorter soak times are needed.
Berries should be soaked immediately before eating, as washing and storing hastens spoilage.
For vinegar, use one part white household vinegar to three or four parts water, noting it might impact taste.
Most produce, except berries, can soak in vinegar solution for five to ten minutes.
Berries should only soak in vinegar solution for one to two minutes.
Lift produce out of the bowl to leave dirt at the bottom, rather than pouring.
Rinse all washed produce well under cool running water.
Pat dry immediately after rinsing to avoid flavor and texture changes.
All produce, including organic, should be washed before peeling to prevent dirt and bacteria transfer.
Produce with hard coatings should be scrubbed or peeled before eating, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.
Each berry type has unique pesticide concerns and recommended washing approaches.
Blackberries often contain multiple pesticide residues, some of which are systemic and toxic.
The latest 2024 USDA testing found nonorganic blackberries had four pesticide residues on average.
One blackberry sample tested positive for 14 different pesticides.
Cypermethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid and possible human carcinogen, was detected on nearly half of all blackberry samples.
Bifenthrin, another pyrethroid deemed safe by EPA under typical use, was found on 30% of blackberry samples.
Bifenthrin is a PFAS 'forever' pesticide, raising additional health concerns.
Legacy PFAS, manufactured since the 1940s, are linked to cancer, obesity, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, decreased fertility, liver damage, hormone disruption, and immune system damage.
Blackberries hold up well to washing, but thorough drying is crucial to prevent spoilage.
Pyrethroid insecticides cross the placenta and are linked to behavioral and attention deficit disorders in children.
Cypermethrin disrupts thyroid hormones, which are critical for brain development.
Malathion was found on 14% of blackberry samples.
Malathion is an organophosphate pesticide that interferes with the normal nervous system function of insects and humans.
Malathion has been linked to human neurodevelopmental disorders.
Consumers can take action against surface pesticides like malathion and pyrethroids.
Malathion and pyrethroids are surface chemicals that respond well to washing.
A 30- to 60-second dip in 1% baking soda (1 teaspoon per 2 cups cool water), followed by a cool-water rinse and immediate drying, is recommended.
Two highly toxic systemic chemicals, methamidophos and acephate, were found on 3% of blackberry samples.
Methamidophos, a potent neurotoxin, has been banned in the United States since 2009 but appears on imported produce.
The EPA is taking action on acephate, which degrades into methamidophos.
USDA testing found methamidophos and acephate only on blackberries imported from Mexico.
To avoid exposure to certain systemic pesticides, buy US-grown or organic blackberries.
Blueberries frequently contain systemic pesticides that cannot be removed by washing.
Boscalid (46% of samples) and acetamiprid (36% of samples) are the two most prevalent systemic residues found on blueberries.
Since boscalid and acetamiprid are systemic, washing cannot effectively remove them from blueberries.
Of the two, acetamiprid is considered more concerning from a human-health standpoint.
Acetamiprid is a neonicotinoid modeled after nicotine, historically used as rat poison and insecticide since the 1600s.
Acetamiprid targets an insect’s nervous system, causing paralysis and death.
Animal studies indicate neurotoxicity to offspring from acetamiprid exposure.
In 2024, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) called for a fivefold reduction in acetamiprid safety levels, dropping the acceptable daily intake from 0.025 to 0.005 mg/kg body weight/day.
The EPA currently considers acetamiprid safe at current safety levels.
Boscalid is a possible endocrine-disrupting fungicide with 'suggestive evidence of carcinogenicity' according to EPA, though insufficient for human assessment.
The EFSA is currently reconsidering boscalid's status as an allowable pesticide.
Blueberries contain contact pesticides including cypermethrin (23% of samples), bifenthrin (19%), phosmet, and malathion.
Another systemic neonicotinoid, imidacloprid, was found on 14% of blueberry samples.
Current safety levels for imidacloprid are considered adequate by experts.
Soak blueberries for one to two minutes, a longer period than blackberries, due to their tougher outer skin.
After soaking, thoroughly rinse blueberries with cool water and dry them on a clean towel.
For concerns about acetamiprid, buying organic or wild lowbush blueberries (grown with less spraying) is a practical option.
Strawberries are exposed to concerning systemic and contact fungicides, some linked to reproductive toxicity.
USDA testing found carbendazim, a fungicide, on over 16% of strawberries tested.
Bifenthrin, a PFAS pyrethroid, was found on 29% of strawberry samples.
Carbendazim is banned in the European Union due to reproductive and developmental toxicity issues and is highly concerning for human health on strawberries.
Carbendazim is partly systemic; its surface fraction can be washed off, but the absorbed fraction cannot.
Strawberries are also exposed to additional fungicides of concern.
Boscalid, a systemic endocrine-disrupting fungicide, is one such fungicide and is being reevaluated by the EPA.
Fludioxonil, a systemic PFAS pesticide, is added to produce after harvest to stop mold and mildew.
Fludioxonil has killed human cells and damaged DNA in laboratory tests.
The European Food Safety Authority considers fludioxonil an endocrine-disrupting chemical that has harmed the reproductive system in animals.
This information was previously shared by Varun Subramaniam, an EWG science analyst.
A March 2025 EWG investigation found fludioxonil at over 1 part per million on lemons, followed by peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, blueberries, and apricots.
USDA data shows fludioxonil was found on 90% of tested nectarines, peaches, and plums.
The EPA states that fungicides like Fludioxonil ensure America's food supply is safe, abundant, and affordable, evaluating pesticides with gold-standard science.
Baking soda only dislodges surface fludioxonil and does not chemically degrade it.
Strawberries should not be soaked.
Give strawberries a brief 30- to 60-second dip in the baking soda solution, rinse well, and dry immediately.
Remove the green leafy top after washing strawberries, not before.
Hulling first creates a cut surface through which washing solutions and dissolved residues can be drawn into the strawberry flesh.
Raspberries carry smaller pesticide doses compared to other berries, making them a lower-exposure substitute.
Pesticide residues found on raspberries tend to belong to the same chemistry families (pyrethroids, organophosphates, neonicotinoids) as other berries.
The key difference for raspberries is the lower prevalence of pesticide residues, not the nature of the compounds.
Raspberries are a reasonable lower-exposure substitute for children who love berries.
Wash raspberries with a 30- to 60-second brief dip in the baking soda solution, an easy rinse under cool water, and a careful pat dry.
Popular berries like blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries are often laden with pesticides.
Blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries are listed in the 'Dirty Dozen' for high pesticide levels.
The information comes from the annual 2026 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit health advocacy organization, has produced the guide since 2004.
The 2026 Dirty Dozen list also includes cherries, apples, pears, grapes, peaches, nectarines, kale, and spinach.
Kid-favorite berries consistently remain in the Dirty Dozen year after year.
Raspberries are a bright spot and are not included in the 2026 Dirty Dozen list.
Raspberries are excluded from the list partly due to their specific growing methods.
Raspberries rank much closer to EWG’s 'Clean Fifteen' group, which includes fruits and vegetables with the fewest pesticides.
Raspberries came in at 22 in the EWG rankings.
EWG calculates its ratings from testing performed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Pesticide exposure is linked to various health issues, though safety levels are debated.
Critics, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), argue that US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) benchmark levels for pesticides are too high.
Critics believe current levels fail to address the health impact of long-term, cumulative exposure to multiple pesticides.
According to the AAP, pesticide exposure during pregnancy may increase risks of birth defects, low birth weight, and fetal death.
Childhood exposure to pesticides has been linked to attention and learning problems, as well as cancer.
Studies associate pesticides with lower sperm concentrations, heart disease, cancer, and increased genetic damage in humans.
The Alliance for Food and Farming states that the mere presence of a residue does not automatically mean something is unsafe.
The EPA sets limits on pesticide residues that already include huge safety margins to protect infants and children.
Pesticides are categorized by how they reside on produce, affecting their removability.
Many 'contact' pesticides that sit on the surface of a fruit or vegetable can be effectively removed.
This information is provided by Peng Gao, an assistant professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
'Systemic' pesticides are absorbed through a plant's roots and leaves, becoming part of the fruit and cannot be washed off.
If concerned about pesticides, buying organic versions of the most pesticide-laden produce, including berries, is the best solution if affordable.
Organic farming prohibits most synthetic pesticides, often using naturally derived alternatives.
Wind and water runoff from neighboring conventional farms can occasionally contaminate organic farms, potentially leading to organic license loss.
Studies show that eating more organic foods decreased pesticide levels in people's bodies by up to 95% in days.
Experts say feeding a child organic food from the start can dramatically reduce risk.
Specific washing methods can reduce contact pesticides if organic options are not available.
For those unable to afford organic produce, a short soak in baking soda or vinegar can reduce contact pesticide levels.
This method is supported by a peer-reviewed April report by EWG scientists.
The EWG review analyzed 47 studies globally on various produce washing methods, including tap water.
Rinsing or soaking in water showed the lowest median pesticide reduction of about 30%.
Soaking with vinegar or baking soda achieved the highest median pesticide reduction, around 50%, across all pesticides and produce.
Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne, an assistant professor at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, affirmed these findings.
Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne was not involved with the EWG review.
Follow specific steps for washing produce, especially berries, to maximize pesticide removal and prevent spoilage.
Use one teaspoon of baking soda per two cups of water and soak most produce for five to ten minutes.
The mildly alkaline baking soda solution helps degrade many contact pesticides on the surface.
Berries only require soaking for one to two minutes due to their high water content and thin skin.
Berries' high water content and thin skin absorb solutions, meaning shorter soak times are needed.
Berries should be soaked immediately before eating, as washing and storing hastens spoilage.
For vinegar, use one part white household vinegar to three or four parts water, noting it might impact taste.
Most produce, except berries, can soak in vinegar solution for five to ten minutes.
Berries should only soak in vinegar solution for one to two minutes.
Lift produce out of the bowl to leave dirt at the bottom, rather than pouring.
Rinse all washed produce well under cool running water.
Pat dry immediately after rinsing to avoid flavor and texture changes.
All produce, including organic, should be washed before peeling to prevent dirt and bacteria transfer.
Produce with hard coatings should be scrubbed or peeled before eating, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.
Each berry type has unique pesticide concerns and recommended washing approaches.
Blackberries often contain multiple pesticide residues, some of which are systemic and toxic.
The latest 2024 USDA testing found nonorganic blackberries had four pesticide residues on average.
One blackberry sample tested positive for 14 different pesticides.
Cypermethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid and possible human carcinogen, was detected on nearly half of all blackberry samples.
Bifenthrin, another pyrethroid deemed safe by EPA under typical use, was found on 30% of blackberry samples.
Bifenthrin is a PFAS 'forever' pesticide, raising additional health concerns.
Legacy PFAS, manufactured since the 1940s, are linked to cancer, obesity, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, decreased fertility, liver damage, hormone disruption, and immune system damage.
Blackberries hold up well to washing, but thorough drying is crucial to prevent spoilage.
Pyrethroid insecticides cross the placenta and are linked to behavioral and attention deficit disorders in children.
Cypermethrin disrupts thyroid hormones, which are critical for brain development.
Malathion was found on 14% of blackberry samples.
Malathion is an organophosphate pesticide that interferes with the normal nervous system function of insects and humans.
Malathion has been linked to human neurodevelopmental disorders.
Consumers can take action against surface pesticides like malathion and pyrethroids.
Malathion and pyrethroids are surface chemicals that respond well to washing.
A 30- to 60-second dip in 1% baking soda (1 teaspoon per 2 cups cool water), followed by a cool-water rinse and immediate drying, is recommended.
Two highly toxic systemic chemicals, methamidophos and acephate, were found on 3% of blackberry samples.
Methamidophos, a potent neurotoxin, has been banned in the United States since 2009 but appears on imported produce.
The EPA is taking action on acephate, which degrades into methamidophos.
USDA testing found methamidophos and acephate only on blackberries imported from Mexico.
To avoid exposure to certain systemic pesticides, buy US-grown or organic blackberries.
Blueberries frequently contain systemic pesticides that cannot be removed by washing.
Boscalid (46% of samples) and acetamiprid (36% of samples) are the two most prevalent systemic residues found on blueberries.
Since boscalid and acetamiprid are systemic, washing cannot effectively remove them from blueberries.
Of the two, acetamiprid is considered more concerning from a human-health standpoint.
Acetamiprid is a neonicotinoid modeled after nicotine, historically used as rat poison and insecticide since the 1600s.
Acetamiprid targets an insect’s nervous system, causing paralysis and death.
Animal studies indicate neurotoxicity to offspring from acetamiprid exposure.
In 2024, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) called for a fivefold reduction in acetamiprid safety levels, dropping the acceptable daily intake from 0.025 to 0.005 mg/kg body weight/day.
The EPA currently considers acetamiprid safe at current safety levels.
Boscalid is a possible endocrine-disrupting fungicide with 'suggestive evidence of carcinogenicity' according to EPA, though insufficient for human assessment.
The EFSA is currently reconsidering boscalid's status as an allowable pesticide.
Blueberries contain contact pesticides including cypermethrin (23% of samples), bifenthrin (19%), phosmet, and malathion.
Another systemic neonicotinoid, imidacloprid, was found on 14% of blueberry samples.
Current safety levels for imidacloprid are considered adequate by experts.
Soak blueberries for one to two minutes, a longer period than blackberries, due to their tougher outer skin.
After soaking, thoroughly rinse blueberries with cool water and dry them on a clean towel.
For concerns about acetamiprid, buying organic or wild lowbush blueberries (grown with less spraying) is a practical option.
Strawberries are exposed to concerning systemic and contact fungicides, some linked to reproductive toxicity.
USDA testing found carbendazim, a fungicide, on over 16% of strawberries tested.
Bifenthrin, a PFAS pyrethroid, was found on 29% of strawberry samples.
Carbendazim is banned in the European Union due to reproductive and developmental toxicity issues and is highly concerning for human health on strawberries.
Carbendazim is partly systemic; its surface fraction can be washed off, but the absorbed fraction cannot.
Strawberries are also exposed to additional fungicides of concern.
Boscalid, a systemic endocrine-disrupting fungicide, is one such fungicide and is being reevaluated by the EPA.
Fludioxonil, a systemic PFAS pesticide, is added to produce after harvest to stop mold and mildew.
Fludioxonil has killed human cells and damaged DNA in laboratory tests.
The European Food Safety Authority considers fludioxonil an endocrine-disrupting chemical that has harmed the reproductive system in animals.
This information was previously shared by Varun Subramaniam, an EWG science analyst.
A March 2025 EWG investigation found fludioxonil at over 1 part per million on lemons, followed by peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, blueberries, and apricots.
USDA data shows fludioxonil was found on 90% of tested nectarines, peaches, and plums.
The EPA states that fungicides like Fludioxonil ensure America's food supply is safe, abundant, and affordable, evaluating pesticides with gold-standard science.
Baking soda only dislodges surface fludioxonil and does not chemically degrade it.
Strawberries should not be soaked.
Give strawberries a brief 30- to 60-second dip in the baking soda solution, rinse well, and dry immediately.
Remove the green leafy top after washing strawberries, not before.
Hulling first creates a cut surface through which washing solutions and dissolved residues can be drawn into the strawberry flesh.
Raspberries carry smaller pesticide doses compared to other berries, making them a lower-exposure substitute.
Pesticide residues found on raspberries tend to belong to the same chemistry families (pyrethroids, organophosphates, neonicotinoids) as other berries.
The key difference for raspberries is the lower prevalence of pesticide residues, not the nature of the compounds.
Raspberries are a reasonable lower-exposure substitute for children who love berries.
Wash raspberries with a 30- to 60-second brief dip in the baking soda solution, an easy rinse under cool water, and a careful pat dry.