Apples in Belgian supermarkets are full of pesticide residues, says Greenpeace

European apple producers use too many pesticides, says Greenpeace in a report. According to the environmental organisation, producers who supply supermarkets are especially likely to use pesticides, reports Le Soir.

Greenpeace conducted a study of the orchards of the largest apple producers in 12 European countries, taking 36 water samples and 49 soil samples. On average, 75% of the samples contained residues of at least one of the 53 types of pesticides identified. "And at least 70% of those pesticides have a higher general toxicity to human health and the environment," Greenpeace said in the report.

The highest pesticide values were measured in the soil samples from Belgium, France and Italy. In the water samples, the most pesticides were found in Poland, Slovakia and Italy.

"Belgium has a fairly humid climate, which means that producers frequently deal with fungi and the like," explains Sofie Vergucht of Phytofar, the Belgian association for crop protection.

Pesticide residues can be measured in nearly half of the food consumed in Europe, with apples showing some of the highest values, Greenpeace said in the report. According to the European Food Safety Authority, the values of pesticides measured fall within the legal limits and probably have no effect on health.

"Just because traces of pesticide residues are found on apples doesn't mean it’s dangerous or unhealthy to eat them. It is still healthy to eat lots of fruit and vegetables, "says Vergucht. "All the fruit sold in Belgium, whether imported or domestic, has been tested and is completely safe. Now if there are still traces of pesticides to be found, then this is another reason to wash the fruit well."

Greenpeace denounces the excessive use of pesticides and is urging EU member states to put an end to the use of synthetic chemical pesticides in agriculture and fruit production. The organisation is calling for the use of non-chemical alternatives that support ecological farming methods.