A recent report by Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe has unveiled alarming levels of pesticide residues, often referred to as "cocktails of pesticides," in apples sold across thirteen European countries. Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Switzerland were identified as having contaminated apples, prompting urgent calls for the European Union to strengthen regulation regarding exposure to these chemicals.

One of the most striking findings from PAN Europe's scientific study, conducted between September 1 and 20, 2025, was that an overwhelming 85% of the tested apples contained multiple pesticide residues. Furthermore, 71% of samples contained at least one residue from the EU category of most toxic pesticides, while 64% had residues of PFAS pesticides, also known as "forever chemicals." A significant 36% contained neurotoxic pesticides. Fludioxonil, a PFAS pesticide classified as an endocrine disruptor in the EU in 2024, was found in nearly 40% of the samples. PAN Europe highlighted that this hazardous chemical, toxic to human liver and kidneys and detrimental to aquatic life, should have been banned, but EU member states have been blocking its prohibition for a year.

The report raises particular concern for vulnerable populations, especially children. If these apples were intended for sale as processed baby food, 93% of them would exceed the stricter EU legal limits for pesticide levels for children under three years old. Gergely Simon, a campaigner at PAN Europe, emphasized that "Young parents are not aware that feeding their children with fresh conventional fruits or vegetables strongly increases their exposure to pesticides, sometimes more than 600 times." He urged public authorities to inform parents and promote organic food as a priority.

PAN Europe critically points out that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) assesses pesticides in silos, disregarding the dangerous "cocktail effect" of multiple chemical exposures. Despite EFSA being tasked 20 years ago to develop a methodology for regulating these combined effects, this legal obligation remains unfulfilled. Martin Dermine, a senior official at PAN Europe, underscored this concern, stating, "In this report, we show that 85% of the apples have multiple residues, and we don’t know if they are safe for consumption or not," linking potential risks to cancer and infertility.

While the issue of assessing the combined effects of multiple pesticides was first acknowledged in 2005, it wasn't until 2020 that EFSA conducted a pilot assessment on combined effects on the thyroid and nervous systems. Since 2021, the European Commission and EFSA have been working to expand cumulative risk assessments, aiming to fully integrate them into law by 2030. An EFSA spokesperson acknowledged the complexity of assessing the "pesticide cocktail" problem, involving large datasets, new software, and extensive collaboration. Guidance on performing ‘prospective’ cumulative risk assessment is currently being prepared, with a pilot exercise with EU countries planned for late 2026 to test the new tools and methodology.

Compounding these concerns, the Commission proposed changes in December 2025 that could weaken pesticide regulation. These proposals include allowing approvals to last indefinitely and removing the requirement to reassess pesticide toxicity against new scientific evidence every 10 to 15 years, potentially allowing EU countries to ignore the latest scientific findings when evaluating pesticide risks. Gergely Simon warned of "mounting scientific evidence that exposure to pesticides via food is related to infertility, and possibly to cancers," stressing that the constant exposure of citizens to mixtures of toxic substances via food, air, or dust must be tackled by regulatory bodies.

Apples, being among Europeans’ favourite and most widely grown fruits in the EU, particularly in Poland, Italy, and France, are also among the most heavily treated, with about 35 annual pesticide treatments, mainly targeting apple scab. Given these findings, PAN Europe has advised consumers to opt for organic apples or to peel conventionally grown ones before consumption to reduce pesticide exposure.