One high-profile document intended to drive consumer choices is the Environment Working Group (EWG) Dirty Dozen report listing of fruits and vegetables it claims have the highest levels of pesticide and residues. The EWG is an American non-profit environmental organization that specializes in alleged research and advocacy in a number of areas, including toxic chemicals.
Each year since 1991, the USDA has been publishing the results from a large-scale pesticide residue monitoring program called the PDP. Each year, a different set of crops is chosen and samples are purchased from regular stores and tested. Year after year, the results of those studies confirm the safety of the food supply. Year after year the EWG misrepresents the data to say otherwise in their dirty dozen list. 1