An analysis of table grapes available year-round in Germany, where only 2 percent of grapes are produced domestically, showed notable levels of pesticides, which were significantly higher in grapes imported from countries outside the EU. The study was conducted by the Chemical and Veterinary Analytical Institute of Stuttgart, Germany (CVUA Stuttgart).

For the study, CVUA Stuttgart collected and tested 64 samples of table grapes, between January and October 2024. Of the 64 samples, 61 were conventionally grown, and three were organic (two from South Africa and one from Italy). The grapes originated from Italy (18 samples), South Africa (12), Türkiye (10), Egypt (4), Spain (4), India (3), Namibia (3), Greece (2), unknown countries (2), Chile (1), Germany (1), and Peru (1).

All of the conventional samples tested contained residues of multiple pesticides, with an average of eight substances per sample, but no pesticides were detected in the three organic samples. The most frequently detected residue was fungicide phosphonic acid, found in 82 percent of samples, at levels as high as 36.4 milligrams of pesticides per kilogram of grapes (mg/kg).

When pesticide levels were analyzed by origin, a significant difference was seen between EU countries and non-EU countries; respectively, CUVA found 1.9 mg/kg versus 0.57 mg/kg. The single German sample contained pesticide levels at 0.32 mg/kg.

Of the total samples, 15 percent contained pesticides exceeding legal maximum levels; eight samples from non-EU countries contained pesticides above maximum allowable levels, whereas only one sample from EU Member States—specifically, from Italy—contained pesticides at levels exceeding maximum levels. Chemicals banned in the EU were found in two samples; specifically, herbicide glufosinate was found in a sample from Namibia, and fungicide procymidone was found in an Italian sample.

Several samples from Türkiye were found to be noncompliant with EU regulations. The insecticide acetamiprid was present at unsafe levels in seven Turkish samples, and insecticide pyriproxyfen exceeding maximum levels was found in four of the same samples.

In addition to the seven Turkish samples containing high levels of acetamiprid, one Italian sample contained significant levels of the chemical. All eight samples contained levels of acetamiprid that exhausted the acute reference dose (ARfD) by more than 200 percent, indicating a threat to human health.