Pesticide Action Network Europe and the Hungarian Nature Conservation Association (Magyar Természetvédők Szövetsége – MTSZ) checked 59 varieties of apples for traces of pesticides. They tested fruit from 13 European countries, including Hungary, and found that it’s pretty much standard for conventional apples to contain more than one type of pesticide residue. Almost all European apples from conventional cultivation contained trace amounts of pesticides. Although it is required by law, the EU has not yet begun testing for toxicity resulting from the combined presence of multiple pesticides.
Apples are among the most commonly consumed fruits in Europe. Local production has increased in recent decades, and production methods rely heavily on pesticides. Apples grown using traditional methods are sprayed with these chemicals an average of 30 times a year, according to the report.
The research found that all of the Hungarian apples tested contained at least one PFAS pesticide (a forever chemical). One of the Hungarian apples contained more than the permitted level of a neurotoxic insecticide, which damages the hormone system and can interfere with the developing hormonal system, according to the press release. Neurotoxic pesticides were found in 60 percent of Hungarian apples. If these apples were processed and marketed as baby food, they would not meet the regulations, the Hungarian Nature Conservation Association warned. The authors of the report recommend that parents choose organic apples and peel non-organic apples.
The study found residues of several different pesticides in 85 percent of the apples.
“The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was tasked with developing a methodology for the regulation of the effects of pesticide cocktails 20 years ago, but to date it has failed to fulfill this legal obligation,” emphasized Gergely Simon, a chemical expert at the Pesticide Action Network Europe.
Regulation (EC) No. 396/2005 on maximum residue levels requires the EFSA to develop a methodology that takes into account the risk of repeated exposure. Twenty years later, this has still not happened.
“There is growing scientific evidence that pesticide exposure through food may be linked to infertility and the occurrence of certain cancers. Humans’ continuous exposure to mixtures of various toxic substances – whether in food, air, or dust – is currently not taken into account; this key issue needs to be addressed by regulatory authorities,” Gergely Simon added.
At least one residual of an active ingredient classified by the EU as one of the most toxic pesticides was detected in 71 percent of the apple samples (in case of the Hungarian samples, this was all of them). Sixty-four percent of the samples—all of the Hungarian apples—contained at least one PFAS pesticide, while 36 percent (60 percent of the Hungarian samples) contained neurotoxic pesticides.
The presence of fludioxonil, which was found in nearly 40 percent of the samples, is particularly worrying. Fludioxonil is a PFAS pesticide that the EU classified as an endocrine disruptor in 2024. Accordingly, this active substance should have already been banned but EU member states have been blocking this for a year now. Fludioxonil has a damaging effect on the liver and kidneys in humans and causes significant destruction among fish and amphibian populations in aquatic habitats.
The presence of fludioxonil, which was found in nearly 40 percent of the samples, is particularly worrying. Fludioxonil is a PFAS pesticide that the EU classified as an endocrine disruptor in 2024. Accordingly, this active substance should have already been banned but EU member states have been blocking this for a year now. Fludioxonil has a damaging effect on the liver and kidneys in humans and causes significant destruction among fish and amphibian populations in aquatic habitats.
For children under the age of three, EU regulations follow the precautionary principle and set strict residue limits for processed foods to protect children’s development. “However, most young parents are unaware that feeding their children fresh, conventionally grown fruits and vegetables significantly increases their exposure to pesticides—in some cases by up to 600 times. Authorities should inform parents about this risk and primarily encourage the consumption of organic products,” said Gergely Simon.
The situation in Hungary was found to be particularly serious: each of the five samples contained pesticides above the quantitative determination threshold, with an average of 4.2 different pesticides per sample, which is one of the highest values among European countries.
One of the Hungarian apples contained an insecticide called pyriproxyfen above the limit (0.08 mg/kg instead of the permitted level of 0.05 mg/kg), which is neurotoxic, damages the endocrine system, and can affect the developing hormone system, according to the press release. “None of the apples tested were suitable for consumption by infants and young children. The five Hungarian samples (Golden, Red Chief, and Gala varieties) were purchased at three different supermarkets,” said Róbert Fidrich, the program director of the Hungarian Nature Conservation Association.
60 percent of Hungarian apples also contained neurotoxic pesticide residues, and PFAS pesticide residues were detected in all samples. Of particular concern in the Hungarian samples is the presence of acetamiprid, which belongs to the neonicotinoid group, and fludioxonil: the former has toxic effects on brain development and is also dangerous to pollinating insects, while the latter is a PFAS pesticide, which interferes with the endocrine system and is on the EU’s list of most problematic pesticides.
“If EU and national regulatory authorities were to properly enforce the relevant legislation, many of the pesticides detected in apples would have been banned long ago. Examples include acetamiprid, which is toxic to the developing fetal brain, and difenoconazole, which damages the endocrine system and is neurotoxic. In contrast, the EU’s proposed omnibus law on food and feed would actually weaken health protection. Our report clearly shows that we need stricter regulations, not fewer,” emphasized Martin Dermine, Executive Director of PAN Europe.
In December 2025, the European Commission proposed easing regulations on pesticides: this amendment would allow for indefinite authorisation and would remove the obligation to re-evaluate the toxicity of substances every 10 to 15 years in light of new scientific evidence. The Commission also proposes that Member States be allowed to ignore the latest scientific findings when assessing the toxicity of pesticides. PAN Europe and its member organizations are opposed to this proposal: they are calling for stricter enforcement of existing regulations and more effective protection of public health and the environment.
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