On Friday 30 January 2026, Luxembourg’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Viticulture warned against unnecessary public concern, stressing the country’s commitment to consumer protection and scientifically based risk assessment regarding plant protection products.
With regard to a recently published report by PAN Europe and Mouvement écologique (Environmental Movement) on pesticide residues in apples, the ministry provided a series of clarifications.
The ministry stressed that legal limits are respected. Specific legal rules apply in the European Union to pesticide residues on fresh fruit. These are based on comprehensive scientific assessments by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and take into account dietary habits of both adults and children.
Official control and analysis results from Luxembourg’s Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA) confirm that apples produced in Luxembourg comply with the applicable legal requirements and can be consumed by both children and adults without health risks.
For several years, EFSA has carried out cumulative risk assessments in Europe that consider shared mechanisms of action and additive effects. These assessments serve as a reference for all European food authorities.
Furthermore, the report presents maximum residue levels (MRLs) as health thresholds. However, MRLs are not toxicological thresholds but are based on good agricultural practice. Only the ADI (acceptable daily intake) and the ARfD (acute reference dose) are relevant for health assessments. The mere presence of residues therefore does not automatically represent a risk to consumers.
Over the past sixteen years (2009-2025), ALVA analysed 182 apple samples for pesticide residues, including 97 from Luxembourg production. Of the 182 samples, one apple (not from Luxembourg) was non-compliant due to excessive levels of triadimenol. Over the sixteen-year period, no apples produced in Luxembourg showed non-compliant pesticide residue levels.
The ministry said Luxembourg is implementing a range of national measures to minimise risks linked to plant protection products, including comprehensive control programmes carried out by ALVA, the gradual reduction of particularly problematic active substances, the promotion of integrated pest management and subsidy schemes aimed at reducing pesticide use. It added that, in fruit growing, 89 of the country’s 198 hectares were farmed without the use of fungicides and insecticides in 2024, representing nearly half of the total orchard area, while the overall use of plant protection products in Luxembourg agriculture has been reduced by more than 50% since 2016.
The ministry also noted that Luxembourg works continuously, transparently and on a scientific basis to minimise risks to consumers.
For many years, ALVA has conducted official and transparent food controls to inform the public, among other things, about risks related to multiple pesticide exposures in food. These results are made available to the public via the food safety portal.
