What the new study shows about pesticide residues in produce
A recent analysis from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) raises fresh questions about the safety of the produce many households consider healthy. The study links the amount of pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables to higher levels of these chemicals detected in people’s urine. As lead author Alexis Temkin, vice president for science at the EWG, explains to CNN, the more you eat foods with high residue levels, the more pesticides show up in urine.
How the study was conducted
The researchers compared data on pesticide residues from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with urinary measurements collected in NHANES, the national health survey run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). By pairing food residue data with biomonitoring results, they aimed to understand how dietary intake translates into actual chemical exposure in people.
Key finding
Temkin highlights a clear pattern: higher intake of foods with high pesticide residue increased urinary pesticide levels more than foods with lower residue. In other words, what you eat matters for your internal exposure, even when you don’t feel immediate effects.
Expert perspectives on health implications
Linda Birnbaum, former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, who was not part of the study, emphasizes the broader context: high-residue foods may raise exposure, and elevated exposure has been linked in other research to various health concerns. She notes that the finding doesn’t imply a diagnosis or a universal risk for every consumer, but it underscores the need to pay attention to how produce is grown and handled.
Which foods are most likely to carry higher residues?
Nationally, the analysis and related reporting highlight that certain foods tend to harbor more pesticide residues. In the United States, spinach has repeatedly shown higher residue levels by weight, followed closely by strawberries, kale, grapes, peaches, cherries, nectarines, pears, apples, blackberries, blueberries, and potatoes. These items often appear in the “dirty dozen” discussions that guide consumer choices about organics and washing practices.
How this compares with Norwegian findings
A separate Norwegian assessment, conducted by NIBIO for Mattilsynet in 2023, found relatively low pesticide residues overall. It did identify spinach as among the higher-residue items, while pineapple topped the list of least-contaminated fruits in a 2025 follow-up, with a range of produce such as sweet corn, avocados, papaya, onions, frozen peas, asparagus, cabbage, watermelon, cauliflower, bananas, mangoes, carrots, mushrooms, and kiwi showing varying, generally lower residue levels. The contrast underscores that pesticide exposure risks can differ by country, agricultural practices, and regulatory approaches.
Practical steps to lower exposure without giving up produce
- Prioritize a varied diet and include plenty of foods with lower residue profiles, as suggested by the study authors.
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water, and consider peeling where appropriate and safe.
- Plan meals around lower-residue options in peak seasons while still embracing a wide range of produce.
- When possible, buy produce from trusted sources with good washing and handling practices, and consider organic options for high-residue items if affordable.
The bottom line
While the findings don’t mean you should abandon fruits and vegetables, they do highlight that some produce options contribute more to pesticide exposure than others. The recommended approach is to reduce exposure risk by choosing lower-residue varieties more often and by washing and preparing produce carefully, rather than avoiding fruits and vegetables altogether. As Temkin puts it, the goal is to be informed and proactive about what ends up in your shopping cart and your urine.)
