Pollution Alders and Persistent Chemicals in European Food: A Look at PFAS in Fruits and Vegetables
Madrid, February 27. A 2021 study called Toxic Harvest reveals that 75 percent of Spanish strawberries contained pesticide residues, a finding reported by the PAN Europe network and Ecologists in Action. The report documents growing use of highly persistent chemicals and warns about water and soil contamination across the European Union.
According to the report, foods such as fruits and vegetables are exposed to and polluted by PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These chemicals are sprayed onto crops as pesticides, and their use carries serious health and environmental consequences.
Data show that Spain, along with the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Portugal, and Greece, is among the leading producers of PFAS-contaminated foods within the EU.
In Spain, between 2011 and 2021, residues from 18 different PFAS pesticides were detected in fruits and vegetables sold to the public. In 2021, Spain’s produce showed contamination, notably strawberries (75 percent), grapes (64 percent), apricots (49 percent), and spinach (42 percent).
Regarding imports, in 2021 the highest PFAS presence in fruits and vegetables came from South Africa (PFAS detected in 23 percent of samples) and Morocco (17 percent).
The contamination has risen over the past decade, up 148 percent for vegetables and 80 percent for fruit, according to a public statement.
These chemicals, also referred to as “eternal chemicals” for their extraordinary persistence, are among the greatest current risks to humans and the environment.
PFAS molecules were originally developed to waterproof various materials, including kitchenware, packaging, and outdoor clothing. Once released, they persist in the body and in the environment, making them hard to eliminate.
Many of these chemicals show adverse effects even at low concentrations, affecting the liver, the immune system, and the endocrine system. They are linked to diseases such as cancer and developmental issues in children. Some PFAS have already faced restrictions within the EU.
The report argues that agriculture contributes to PFAS spread and contamination because industry has deliberately introduced fluorine atoms into pesticide products to boost effectiveness.
Ecologistas en Acción has noted that all European policymakers likely have PFAS in their blood, and that PFAS are present in Europe’s water resources and soils. They warn that many other chemicals remain on the market, a situation described as a substitution problem by manufacturers.
In some cases, PFAS appear as byproducts of degradation, such as trifluoroacetic acid in water contamination scenarios.
Kistiñe García, who leads Toxic Substances at Ecologistas en Acción, emphasized that PFAS use in the EU has surged, and Spain has seen a substantial rise in vegetables and fruit contamination. She suggests that eliminating this pesticide class could help differentiate Spanish produce, as imported products are also contaminated, including about 18 percent of bananas and 27 percent of peppers.
Angeliki Lysimachou, head of Science and Policy at PAN Europe, pointed out that PFAS pesticides are not essential for cultivation and criticized the approval process for PFAS-based pesticides, particularly when used in mixtures.
Koldo Hernández, who coordinates Water Initiatives at Ecologistas en Acción, noted that from the first official PFAS restriction list, which included 47 active substances, 37 substances—roughly 12 percent of synthetically approved actives in the EU—remain permitted in pesticides. This ongoing authorization contributes to deliberate spread across European fields and direct contamination of water and ecosystems.