Almost half of foods from conventional agriculture contain pesticide residues, with a worrying increase in cases of multiresiduei.e. the presence of multiple pesticides in the same product.
The dossier reveals this Stop pesticides on your plate 2025 of Legambiente, created with the support of AssoBio and Consorzio Il Biologico, according to which out of a total of 4,682 samples analyzed including fruit, vegetables, cereals and processed foods, as many as 47.6% of conventional samples are contaminated by pesticides and over 30% present traces of multiple chemical substances at the same time.
The data are even more alarming when it comes to fruit, where 75.57% of the samples contain more residues and 2.21% are non-compliant, with frequent exceeding of the legal limits.
In comparison, organic products are confirmed as a much safer alternative, with 87.7% of samples completely free from pesticides. Only one case of irregularity, probably due to the drift of pesticides from nearby areas, compromises the organic safety framework. These data, unfortunately, confirm how far our conventional agricultural system is still from a truly safe and sustainable model, despite the promises of greater attention to consumer health and the protection of ecosystems.
The increase of the multiresidue
One of the most worrying data concerns the increase in cases of multiresidue (30.26% of the samples), which indicates a combination of multiple pesticides in foods. This phenomenon raises serious doubts about the European legislation regulating the use of pesticides, as it continues to not consider the cumulative and synergistic effects of multiple chemical substances taken together.
Among the most detected substances are commonly used insecticides and fungicides, but there is no shortage of emblematic cases, such as the discovery of Tetramethrin (banned since 2002) on Italian peppers and traces of DDT in potatoes and courgettes. These findings highlight the persistence of chemical substances that are now outlawed but still present in the environment and in agricultural products.
While conventional agriculture struggles to reduce the use of pesticides, the organic sector continues to represent a concrete and safe solution. With 87.7% of samples free of residues, organic demonstrates that it is possible to obtain healthy foods without compromising the health of consumers and ecosystems. The positive result of organic farming confirms that agricultural systems with low chemical impact are not only safer, but also competitive compared to conventional methods.
With its dossier, Legambiente reiterates that respecting legal limits is not enough to guarantee food safety. The real objective must be a drastic reduction in the use of pesticides, with agricultural policies that promote sustainable agriculture, protect biodiversity and improve people’s health.
The solution? Perhaps the transition towards an agroecological model that makes use of natural techniques, such as biocontrol, and which promotes the protection of the soil and pollinators. Furthermore, adds the association, concrete incentives are needed for farmers who choose to adopt sustainable practices, such as crop rotations and the use of short and transparent supply chains that strengthen the link between producers and consumers.
Health protection cannot be entrusted only to final checks or consumer choices and what is desirable is a change of pace in European and national policies, with measures that promote the ecological transition and reduce the consumption of pesticides.
HERE is the Legambiente dossier.
