Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a settlement with Sprouts Farmers Market requiring the grocery chain to stop using a synthetic pesticide on produce across all its U.S. locations.
The settlement stems from an investigation launched by Paxton's office in January 2026 into grocery stores using ProduceMaxx, an EPA-registered antimicrobial pesticide containing hypochlorous acid, a chlorine-based compound. The chemical was being sprayed on produce, including organic varieties, without consumer knowledge.
Under the agreement, which takes effect within 90 days, Sprouts must cease all use of ProduceMaxx and other synthetic antimicrobial pesticides on all produce, organic and conventional. The settlement applies to all Sprouts locations nationwide.
"My office has now added Sprouts to the list of grocery stores that we have forced to stop secretly misting organic produce with synthetic pesticides," Paxton said. "I will continue to protect consumers and ensure transparency, so that Texans can trust that they are buying clean products."
Paxton previously secured a similar settlement with all Albertsons-owned grocery stores across Texas. That deal required the chain to stop using ProduceMaxx in misting systems on organic produce and to rinse all organic produce with potable water after any other pesticide treatment.