DIRTY The Dirty Dozen is based on PAN UK analysis of the UK government’s pesticide residue testing programme.

The government tests around 3,000 kilograms of food annually, with the list of produce selected for testing
changing every year. The tables below reveal the fruit and vegetables most likely to contain more than one
What are pesticides?
Pesticides are poisons designed to

DOZEN
kill living organisms. ‘Pesticides’ is
pesticide in 2019, 2020 and 2021 (the most recent year for which data is available). PAN UK has focussed the umbrella term for thousands of
on these pesticide cocktails because governments only set safety limits for one pesticide at a time, despite different active substances designed
to kill plants (herbicides, commonly
evidence that chemicals can become more harmful when combined. referred to as weed killers), insects
Do stick this list in your back pocket to help you make shopping decisions. (insecticides or bug killers), and
mould and fungus (fungicides). All
three of these groups of pesticides
are used to grow the food we eat.
Crops are often sprayed many times
2019 2020 2021 during a growing season; – as many
as 20 different chemicals can be
applied to wheat for example.

% of samples with multiple residues

% of samples with multiple residues

% of samples with multiple residues

Strawberries 90%
Grapes Grapefruit Certain groups of people are
87% 100%
more susceptible to the effects of
pesticides, especially young children
Lemons Oranges Grapes and expectant mothers. Exposure to
84% 87% 92%
certain pesticides at critical stages
in development can interfere with
Pre packed salad Dried fruit (grapes) Banana particular organs and their
82% 82% 72% functions. Of particular concern
are endocrine disrupting
Grapes Herbs Berries and small fruits chemicals which affect
78% 81% 60% hormone systems and have
been associated with learning
Peaches and Pears Peppers
disabilities, attention deficit
Nectarines 67% 74% 56% disorder, and cognitive and
brain development problems.
Apples 67% Peas (edible pods) 52%
Rasberries
54%

Spinach 62% Beans with pods 35%

Spring greens and Kale What is PAN UK doing?
45%
We are campaigning for a massive
Chilli Peppers Okra Melon reduction in pesticide-related
57% 25% 45% harms to both human health and
the environment. This includes
Tomatoes Lettuce Beans with pods making sure that UK farmers have
49% 24% 40% the support they need to reduce
their pesticide use and working with
supermarkets to tackle pesticide
Lettuce 46% Beans (dried) Aubergine
19% 34% harms linked to their global supply
chains. Sign up to follow our work at:
www.pan-uk.org
Peppers 41% Carrots 17%
Broccoli 23%

Beans with pods 30%

Mango 15%
Mushroom 11%