European Study: The majority of apples sold in 13 EU countries contain multiple pesticide residues, indicating deficiencies in the regulation of chemical cocktails.

According to a report by Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland sell apples in stores and supermarkets with alarming levels of pesticide residues, referred to as "pesticide cocktails." Almost 85% of the tested apples contained multiple residues, and 93% of them would exceed legal limits for food intended for children under three years old. The report criticizes the European Union's risk assessment procedure, which analyzes pesticides in isolation, ignoring the combined effects.

Although the problem has been recognized since 2005, progress in regulating cumulative effects is slow. Additionally, 71% of apple samples contained toxic pesticides, and 36% had neurotoxic pesticides. PAN Europe calls on authorities to inform the public about the risks of consuming conventional fruits and to promote organic food. It also warns against recent proposals that could weaken existing pesticide regulations.