Measurement / residue studyindependent cross-checkabstract only checked★ key study I-RES-05 in-depth review
EU pesticide residues 2023
The 2023 European Union report on pesticide residues in food (EFSA news: 'Pesticides residues in food: what's the situation in the EU?')
Overview
EFSA. EFSA J / EFSA news 2025 · DOI 10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9398
About 98% of samples complied with EU limits; EFSA judged consumer risk low.
Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: high
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Monitor residues.
- How was the study done?
EU control programmes.
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
~146,000 samples.
- What was actually found?
3.7% above MRL (MANCP).
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Residues common but mostly legal.
- What are the study's limitations?
Summary page only.
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Detection yes; harm no.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
High.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Cocktail effects.
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- EFSA
- Journal
- EFSA J / EFSA news
- Year
- 2025
- Identifier
- DOI 10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9398
- Verification
- verified – EFSA news page fetched 2026-10-25 (WebFetch); full report not read.
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
- none
- Extent checked
- abstract only
- Conflicts of interest and funding
not applicable (official document)
2. Research question
Pesticide residue compliance and consumer risk in EU 2023
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Measurement / residue study – EFSA annual report: 2023 EU report on pesticide residues in food (news page fetched)
- Population
Food samples
- Country
EU
- Period
2023 data (published 14 May 2025)
- Sample size
132,793 (MANCP); 13,246 (EU MACP)
4. Methods and endpoints
- Comparator
MRLs
- Endpoints
Compliance; dietary risk
5. Actual results
- Results
MANCP: 58% no quantifiable residues, 38.3% within limits, 3.7% above MRL, 2% non-compliant; EU MACP: 70% no quantifiable residues, 28% within limits, 2% above MRL, 1% non-compliant; dietary risk assessment: 'low risk to consumer health'.
- Absolute risks
not reported
- Authors' conclusion
Low risk to consumer health.
6. Strengths
- Official, large
7. Weaknesses
- Risk-based sampling not representative of average diet (MANCP)
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- none applicable
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- not assessable
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
10. Relevance to the specific claim
C-RES-01/02.
11. Independent contrary findings
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
High.
13. Overall methodological judgement
Key EU residue reference.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | high |
| Risk of bias | not assessable |
| Precision of results | high |
| Directness | direct |
| Reproducibility | replicated |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | consistent |
| Regional transferability | high |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | not applicable |
14. Open questions
15. Linked fact checks
- Everyday foods carry 'explicit toxins': residues of antibiotics, fertilisers, stimulants/growth promoters, chemicals and pesticide residues, which the body must deal with daily. – Studies with mixed or unclear results
- Pesticide, antibiotic and hormone residues in food are a main cause of chronic health problems (implied by his theory statement and recurring remarks such as 'you are poisoned: the amount of pesticides and hormones'). – Studies contradicting or limiting the claim