“An apple a day keeps the doctor away“? After reading the results of the new report by PAN Europe – a coalition of environmental organizations active across Europe – perhaps we should re-evaluate this popular saying for a moment. The investigation analyzed 59 apple samples from 13 countries, including Italy, France, Spain and Germany, revealing an almost systematic contamination by multiple pesticides.
The numbers this time are truly impressive: 85% of the conventional apples tested contained residues of multiple pesticides at the same time, while only 7% were completely free of chemical traces.
But let’s take a closer look at what PAN Europe discovered.
What do European apples contain?
The most disturbing aspect that emerged from the investigation concerns the type of substances found. 64% of the samples contained at least one pesticide belonging to the PFAS family, the so-called “eternal chemicals” that persist in the environment for decades and accumulate in living organisms.
A third of the apples analyzed (36%) instead showed traces of neurotoxic pesticides, substances potentially harmful to the nervous system, while 71% contained at least one of the pesticides classified by the EU as “candidates for substitution”, i.e. the most dangerous substances that should be eliminated from the market as a priority.
Of particular concern is the widespread presence of Fludioxonil, detected in almost 40% of the samples. It is a PFAS pesticide that was classified as an endocrine disruptor by the EU in 2024 and was supposed to be banned, but member states have been blocking the ban for over a year.
The cocktail effect
What worries experts most is not so much (or only) the presence of individual pesticides, but their combination. Simultaneous exposure to multiple chemical substances, the so-called cocktail effect, can in fact produce synergistic effects that are unpredictable and potentially more harmful than the sum of the individual components.
The European Food Safety Authority was tasked 20 years ago with developing a methodology to regulate the combined effects of pesticides, but has not yet fulfilled this legal obligation – underlines Gergely Simon, activist at PAN Europe. Scientific evidence increasingly links chronic pesticide exposure to infertility problems and potentially cancer.
Martin Dermine, executive director of PAN Europe, points the finger at the regulatory authorities:
If the law were implemented correctly, a number of pesticides detected in apples would have been banned long ago, such as acetamiprid, a toxicant for brain development, or difenoconazole, an endocrine disruptor and neurotoxicant.
Italian apples
The PAN Europe report also talks about the situation of Italian apples, focusing in particular on the production of Alto Adige, one of the areas of excellence for the cultivation of this fruit in our country. The data emerging from the analysis of 5 samples collected in September 2025 in the local farmers’ markets of Val Venosta (Rabland and Eyrs) show a worrying scenario.
80% of the Italian apples sampled – varieties such as Golden Delicious, Pinova, Jonagold, Gala and Sweetango – contained pesticide residues, and all of these samples presented “cocktails” of multiple substances at the same time. A sobering fact, considering that these are products purchased directly from farmers’ markets, where consumers often go in search of quality and authenticity.
Even more alarming was the fact that 100% of the contaminated samples contained PFAS pesticides and substances classified by the EU as “candidates for substitution”, i.e. the most toxic pesticides that should be eliminated as a priority. The only positive note concerns the absence of neurotoxic pesticide residues in the Italian samples analyzed, unlike what was found in other European countries.
Only 1 in 5 apples was completely free of chemical traces, a figure that highlights how pesticide contamination has become the norm rather than the exception.
The paradox of European legislation
The report highlights a regulatory paradox: the same apples, if used for food intended for children under three years of age, could not be sold. In fact, European legislation provides much more stringent limits for products intended for early childhood, implicitly recognizing the risks linked to exposure to pesticides during development.
Parents are often unaware that feeding their children conventional fresh fruits or vegetables significantly increases their exposure to pesticides, sometimes by more than 600 times compared to processed baby foods.
The Omnibus proposal: a step backwards in health protection
Making the picture even more worrying is the European Commission’s recent proposal known as “Omnibus”, which instead of strengthening controls would like to deregulate the pesticide sector. The proposal provides for unlimited approval periods for pesticides, eliminating the obligation to re-evaluate their toxicity every 10-15 years in light of new scientific evidence.
In practice, Member States may ignore the latest findings on the dangerousness of these substances when considering their authorization for use. A clear setback compared to the current level of protection of public health and the environment.
PAN Europe and the 13 partner organizations that conducted the survey – including Générations Futures (France), PAN Germany, Ecologistas en Acción (Spain) and others – strongly oppose this proposal, calling instead for stricter enforcement of existing rules.
What consumers can do
While waiting for the European institutions to adopt more effective rules, PAN Europe provides practical advice to consumers concerned about their own health and that of their families.
The main recommendation is to favor the consumption of organic apples, which by definition are grown without the use of synthetic pesticides. Alternatively, for those who buy conventional apples, it is advisable to peel them before consumption, given that most of the residues are concentrated on the peel.
However, the fact remains that the solution cannot be left exclusively to individual choices, we need a paradigm shift at a regulatory level that truly puts the protection of public health and the environment at the centre, rather than the interests of the agrochemical industry.
HERE you can find the full report from PAN Europe.
