To learn more about how consumers address concerns over pesticide residues on produce and food safety, EWG conducted a survey about whether people wash their fruits and vegetables.
Survey responses – almost 900 over the course of a week – came through EWG’s social media channels, Food News website and email newsletter. The results show that washing produce is something many people do – although their exact methods vary.
We asked how often people wash their produce, the way they wash their produce, and for how long.
Washing produce is routine – for most
More than 76% of people who responded to the survey “always” make washing their fruits and vegetables a priority. Over 20% prioritize washing “most of the time.” (See Figure 1.)
That’s welcome news, because washing of any type can significantly reduce the amount of pesticide residue on produce, though nothing guarantees completely eliminating them. Washing produce is also important for food safety, as it lowers the risk of food-borne illness.
Figure 1. How often do you wash your produce before consuming it?
Source: Responses to EWG survey administered through EWG’s social media channels, Food News website and email newsletter
Most common method
When asked how they clean produce, 74% of people say they rinse under tap water, alone or with other washing methods. Nearly half of people rely on tap water only, whether for rinsing or soaking produce in it.
Almost a quarter of people use baking soda. Vinegar mixed with water is preferred by about the same number of people, 23%. About 15% of people say they use produce wash. Some mentioned using soap or detergent.
Due to safety and efficacy concerns, neither EWG, the Food and Drug Administration nor any other government agency recommends the use of soaps, detergents or vegetable washes.
Length of washing
About a third of people use just water to clean produce, rinsing for 30 seconds or less.
This is similar to how researchers at the Department of Agriculture treat produce before testing it for pesticide residues. The USDA Pesticide Data Program, which reports pesticide levels in produce, processes it the way households typically do, peeling and trimming inedible parts and washing. Before testing the samples, the USDA rinses them for 15 to 20 seconds with cold water only.
However, about 40% of people who just rinsed with water reported rinsing for 10 seconds or less. EWG relies on data from the USDA for the annual Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce™.
Figure 2. If you rinse your produce under tap water, how long?
Source: Responses to EWG survey administered through EWG’s social media channels, Food News website and email newsletter; filtered to people who only listed rinsing with tap water as the way they wash produce
Pesticide residues cause concern
When asked what their main concerns were regarding pesticide residues on produce, people consistently selected multiple concerns about pesticides, including health harms from consumption of pesticide-contaminated fruit and vegetables, the impact of pesticide exposure on sensitive populations, environmental damage from pesticide use and inadequate regulation of the chemicals.
Research links pesticide exposure to endocrine disruption, neurological problems and reproductive issues. Children, pregnant people, the immunocompromised and farm workers are among those with an increased risk of exposure or more susceptibility to potential health harms from pesticides.
Pesticide use also harms non-target wildlife and contaminates our waterways.
Produce washing questions
Our open-ended survey question asked people to express what they are still curious about when it comes to reducing their exposure to pesticides on produce. These are some of the most common questions, along with EWG’s responses:
- Where can I buy pesticide-free produce?
- All produce may contain trace amounts of pesticide residues, unless it’s home grown with no pesticides. However, consuming organic produce is associated with exposure to lower levels of potentially harmful synthetic pesticides.
- How do I know if I’ve cleaned my produce of all residues?
- There is no perfect approach to cleaning your produce nor any way to ensure you’ve removed all residues. Reduce your exposure to pesticides by buying organic whenever possible and cleaning produce as best as you can. EWG Shopper’s Guide is a great resource for determining which produce contains a high amount of residue each year.
- Which washing method works best?
- What works best depends on many factors related to the properties of the fruit/vegetable and pesticide. Every approach, including running water on the produce, helps reduce pesticide levels from produce. Baking soda or vinegar added to water can be more effective than water alone.
Read more in EWG’s Guide to Washing Produce about how to make the most out of whichever method you use. The most important thing isn’t how you wash your produce – it’s that you do.
