Apples are dirtiest of 'Dirty Dozen'

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a not-for-profit organisation of public information analysts based in Washington, DC, has updated its rankings of 53 fruit and vegetables and their total pesticide loads.

Using data collected by the US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration between 2000 and 2009, EWG tested more than 700 apple samples and found pesticides on 98 per cent.

Apples overtake celery at the top of the EWG's 'Dirty Dozen' list of the most contaminated produce.

Strawberries are third, then peaches and spinach make unwanted appearances in the top – or bottom – five.

At the other end of the list, onions were first in a list of the 'Clean 15', ahead of sweetcorn, pineapples, avocados and asparagus.