An analysis coordinated by PAN Europe has detected residues of at least one pesticide in 78% of the conventional strawberries examined across eleven European Union countries. PFAS pesticides were found in 58% of the samples, while six out of ten conventional samples contained more than one substance.
Strawberries are one of the most popular fruits among European consumers and are particularly important in children’s diets. However, intensive production also makes them a crop that is highly exposed to the use of fungicides and insecticides.
To examine this issue more closely, PAN Europe and eleven partner organisations collected 41 locally produced samples: 36 conventional, four organic and one labelled as free from pesticide residues.
Up to nine pesticides in a single sample
The strawberries were purchased mainly from supermarkets between 29 April and 2 June 2026 and sent to accredited Eurofins laboratories. The report only counted concentrations above the quantification limit of 10 micrograms per kilogram.
A total of 22 different active substances were identified. Sixty-one per cent of conventional samples contained two or more residues, with an average of 3.5 substances. One sample purchased in Belgium contained nine residues; two samples from Slovenia and Hungary contained eight, while one from Ireland contained seven.
Sixty-one per cent of the conventional strawberries tested contained residues of more than one pesticide
Most residues were below the applicable maximum legal limits. Their detection does not therefore automatically indicate a breach of regulations or, on its own, establish a specific health risk. The organisations’ concern centres on the toxicological profile of some substances and simultaneous exposure to different pesticides.
PFAS and endocrine disruptors
At least one PFAS pesticide was detected in 58.3% of conventional samples. These substances are sometimes described as “forever pesticides” because of their high persistence. Eleven per cent of samples contained two or more. The analysis did not measure trifluoroacetic acid, or TFA, a final breakdown product of many PFAS, as this requires a different analytical method.
The most frequently detected substances were the fungicides fludioxonil, present in 39% of conventional samples, and cyprodinil, found in 33%. Assessments published by the European Food Safety Authority identified both fludioxonil and cyprodinil as endocrine disruptors.
In addition, 56% of the samples contained a pesticide included in the European “candidates for substitution” category. This requires Member States to assess whether these substances can be replaced by less hazardous chemical alternatives or non-chemical methods. Seventeen per cent also contained a pesticide considered neurotoxic.
What did the Spanish samples show?
Three samples were collected in Spain: two conventional samples and one conventional sample labelled as residue-free. Two had no quantifiable residues, while two substances were found in the third, including the insecticide spinosad. The Spanish average was one substance per sample.
This number is far too small to support conclusions about all strawberries grown or sold in Spain. The same applies to comparisons between countries: the report itself stresses that its sampling was not intended to provide a statistically representative picture of the European market.
No quantifiable residues in the organic samples
None of the four organic samples or the sample labelled as residue-free contained pesticides at quantifiable levels. Twenty-two per cent of the conventional strawberries were also free from quantifiable residues.
Although the small number of organic samples means the result cannot be generalised, PAN Europe considers that the findings support the further development of organic farming, integrated pest management and the non-chemical alternatives available for strawberry production.
The debate over legal limits and the cocktail effect
The European Commission states that maximum residue levels are set to ensure a high level of consumer protection. PAN Europe nevertheless questions whether the current system provides a sufficiently comprehensive assessment of the combined effects of several substances, particularly during pregnancy and early childhood.
The organisation is calling for greater transparency in official monitoring, faster implementation of legislation on endocrine disruptors and candidates for substitution, and greater support for farmers adopting non-chemical control methods.
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