Based on the results of testing more than 125,000 food samples collected across Europe, compliance with EU pesticide maximum residue levels (MRLs) remains high, reported the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The findings are consistent with those of previous years.

The data for EFSA’s report came from three control programs: EU-coordinated sampling providing a representative picture of the EU market, national controls carried out by authorities, and sampling in relation to increased border controls.

EU-Coordinated Sampling

Every year, EU Member States, together with Norway and Iceland, collect and report to EFSA thousands of samples from a group of widely consumed foods to provide a representative picture of the EU market. The same commodities are targeted every three years to track trends over time.

In 2024, national food safety authorities collected 9,842 samples of eggplants, bananas, broccoli, cultivated fungi, grapefruits, melons, sweet peppers/bell peppers, table grapes, virgin olive oil, wheat grain, bovine fat, and chicken eggs.

Of the samples, 98.8 percent were found to be compliant with EU pesticide limits, consistent with the 98.7 percent compliance rate recorded in 2021, when the same commodities were analyzed.

Pesticide residues were undetected in 43.1 percent of samples, while 54.5 percent contained one or more residues within MRLs. In 2.4 percent of samples, MRLs were exceeded. Of these, 1.2 percent were confirmed as non-compliant, meaning they exceeded the MRL after considering measurement uncertainty.

Table grapes (77.9 percent), grapefruit (73.5 percent), and bananas (66.1 percent) had the highest percentages of multiple residues.

Sweet/bell peppers (4.7 percent), table grapes (4.3 percent), and grapefruit (3.7 percent) had the highest rates of MRL exceedance.

In the case of non-compliance, Member State authorities took follow-up actions proportionate to the associated consumer risk.

National Control Programs

Most samples in the report were collected under the Multiannual National Control Programs (MANCPs). The MANCPs complement EU-coordinated sampling by considering factors like the significance of food products in trade or national diets, historically high levels of residues or non-compliance, pesticide usage patterns, and the capabilities of national laboratories.

Of the 86,449 MANCP samples, 98.2 percent were compliant with EU pesticide MRLs, consistent with the 98 percent compliance rate in 2023 and 97.8 percent in 2022.

No measurable pesticide residues were found in nearly 58.4 percent of MANCP samples, and 38.3 percent contained one or more residues within MRLs. The limits were exceeded in 3.3 percent of samples, of which 1.8 percent were found to be non-compliant.

Grape leaves and similar species had the highest rate of non-compliance (40 percent), followed by honey and apiculture products (11.1 percent), celery leaves (9.5 percent), and poppy seeds (9.4 percent).

EFSA scientists also assessed whether consumers could be exposed to residue levels above safety thresholds. The assessment confirmed a low risk to consumer health from the estimated exposure to pesticide residues in the foods tested in 2024.

As with the EU-coordinated sampling program, in the case of non-compliance, Member States took actions proportionate to the associated consumer risk.

Increased Import Controls

For the first time, EFSA’s report distinguishes findings from samples taken under the EU Regulation for increased import controls. In previous years, these samples were included in the MANCPs.

These checks are conducted at EU borders and focus on certain hazards (e.g., pesticides or microbiological contamination), food products, and countries, which are identified by Member States as requiring closer monitoring.

Consignments are stopped at the border until laboratory results become available. The product is placed on the EU market if the laboratory results confirm that the product complies with EU rules.

Of 39,433 imported food samples analyzed under increased border checks, 38.3 percent had no quantifiable residues, and 56.2 percent had pesticide residues within MRLs. Approximately 5.5 percent exceeded EU limits, of which 3.6 percent were non-compliant. Non-compliant goods were stopped from entering the EU food market.