New research highlights criticism towards the European Union’s current pesticide risk evaluation process, which examines pesticides individually rather than considering the combined «cocktail» effect—the presence of multiple pesticide residues simultaneously in fruits and vegetables.
According to a report by an NGO advocating for stricter EU regulations, apples sold in markets and supermarkets across thirteen European nations contain alarmingly high levels of pesticide residues, often referred to as «cocktails of pesticides».
Countries including Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland have detected pesticide contamination in apples, as detailed in the latest Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe report, which sharply criticizes the EU’s approach to pesticide risk assessments for evaluating pesticides separately and ignoring the cumulative «cocktail» risks.
«A particularly significant finding shows that 85% of the sampled apples harbored multiple pesticide residues,» stated Gergely Simon, a campaigner at PAN Europe. «Despite being mandated two decades ago to develop methodologies for regulating these combined pesticide effects, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has yet to fulfill this obligation.»
The report emphasizes that if these apples were repurposed as processed baby food, 93% would surpass the EU’s legal pesticide limits for children below three years old.
«Young parents are generally unaware that feeding their children conventional fresh fruits and vegetables substantially heightens pesticide exposure—sometimes by a factor exceeding 600,» Simon added. «Authorities need to raise awareness and prioritize promoting organic produce.»
This sobering report emerges amid stagnant progress on EU policies addressing «cocktails of pesticides,» despite numerous advocacy organizations urging the European Commission and EFSA to accelerate the cumulative risk assessment framework for pesticides.
Although the recognition of combined pesticide effects dates back to 2005, EFSA only carried out a pilot cumulative effect study focusing on the thyroid and nervous systems in 2020.
Since 2021, the Commission and EFSA have been endeavoring to broaden cumulative risk assessments to encompass additional pesticide groups, intending to fully embed these evaluations into legislation by 2030.
An EFSA representative told Euronews that addressing the «pesticide cocktail» issue is «complex,» requiring extensive datasets, sophisticated software, and collaboration with both EU and international stakeholders.
«We are in the process of formulating guidance for conducting ‘prospective’ cumulative risk assessments—conducted prior to pesticide authorization—within the framework of maximum residue level applications,» the spokesperson stated.
A pilot program involving EU member states is slated for the end of 2026 to enable national specialists to test the newly developed EU food agency tools and methodologies, according to EFSA’s spokesperson.
Pesticides and «forever chemicals»
PAN Europe’s scientific investigation took place from September 1 to 20, 2025, selecting three to five samples of conventional locally-grown apples from supermarkets and markets, totaling 59 samples per country, as outlined in the report.
The analysis revealed that 71% of the apple samples contained residues classified as the EU’s most toxic pesticide category, 64% included residues of PFAS pesticides, also known as «forever chemicals«, and 36% contained pesticides with neurotoxic properties.
Fludioxonil, a PFAS pesticide, was detected in nearly 40% of the samples. The report notes that in 2024, this hazardous chemical was classified in the EU as an endocrine disruptor.
«Although it should have been banned, EU member states have delayed this decision for over a year. The substance is toxic to human liver and kidneys, and it severely harms fish and amphibian populations in aquatic habitats,» PAN Europe stated during the report’s release.
In December 2025, the Commission proposed regulatory changes that would weaken pesticide controls by allowing perpetual approvals and removing the obligation to reevaluate pesticide toxicity in light of new scientific data every 10 to 15 years.
The proposal would also enable EU members to disregard recent scientific findings when assessing pesticide risks.
«Scientific evidence is increasingly linking pesticide exposure through food to infertility and potentially certain cancers,» Simon remarked. «The ongoing exposure of people to mixtures of toxic substances via food, air, or dust remains unaddressed; regulatory agencies must confront this critical issue.»
Euronews sought comments from the European Commission but did not receive a reply before publication.