• Pan Europe's analysis reveals that, out of 59 samples of conventional European apples, 85 percent contain residues of different pesticides.
• 64 percent contain PFAS pesticides, while 36 percent contain neurotoxic pesticides.
• Pan Europe calls on the EU to consider the risk of exposure to pesticide cocktails and opposes the deregulation of these substances.

85 percent of conventional European apples contain a pesticide cocktail: this is the finding of an investigation published by the NGO Pesticide Action Network Europe and 13 partner organisations, covering 12 European Union countries and Switzerland.

Out of 59 samples analysed (for Italy, 5 came from South Tyrol), only 7 percent of the conventional apples analysed contained no residues. Two thirds (64 percent) of the apples contained at least one PFAS pesticide, while one third (36 percent) contained neurotoxic pesticides. The organisation points out that had these apples been sold as processed foods for children, they would not have been permitted.

Pesticides in apples: the cocktail effect that needs to be considered

"One of the most striking findings is that 85 percent of the apples tested contained multiple pesticide residues," said Gergely Simon, activist at Pan Europe. "The European Food Safety Authority was tasked 20 years ago with developing a methodology to regulate the combined effects of pesticides, but has yet to fulfil this legal obligation." Thus, although the law requires it, the European Union still does not assess the toxicity of exposure to pesticide cocktails.

"There is growing scientific evidence that exposure to pesticides through food is linked to infertility and potentially to cancer," Simon continued. "The constant exposure of citizens to mixtures of toxic substances through food, air or dust is not being taken into account; this important issue must be addressed by regulatory bodies."

71 percent of apple samples contained at least one residue from the EU category of the most toxic pesticides (the so-called "Candidates for Substitution"). In particular, Fludioxonil is present in almost 40 percent of samples: it is a PFAS pesticide and was classified as an endocrine disruptor in the EU in 2024. It is toxic to the liver and kidneys in humans and decimates fish and amphibians in aquatic environments. It should therefore have been banned, but this has not yet happened.

In light of these new findings, Pan Europe has expressed its opposition to the pesticide deregulation proposed by the European Union in December 2025 with even greater determination: the plan would, in fact, allow unlimited approval periods for pesticides, eliminating the obligation to reassess their toxicity every 10–15 years in light of new scientific evidence.