An apple a day may not keep the doctor away, green pressure group Friends of the Earth warned today. The news comes on Apple Day, set up to encourage demand for local apple varieties.

New analysis by FOE of Government research results [1] shows that apples are frequently contaminated with pesticides. Some samples contained as many as five different types.

FOE welcomes Apple Day, and strongly supports local production of traditional varieties. But FOE also believes that consumers cannot be confident about food quality until the use of pesticides in food production is drastically cut. FOE also wants increased Government support for the UK's organic fruit industry.

The Government's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jeremy Metter has advised that"consumers should wash fruit before eating it and that, whilst peeling fruit is a matter of choice, it is a sensible additional precaution when preparing fruit for small children".[2] Major supermarkets do not bother to pass this advice on to their customers.

The Government's research shows that:
.90% of the apples sampled contained pesticide residues
.70% of the samples contained one or more residue
.over 5% contained five different pesticides.
Pesticides found included organophosphate and carbamate insecticides and fungicides [3].

The Government's pesticide survey for 1996 showed that UK production of Cox's

apples used 12.4 kilograms of pesticide per hectare (amount of active ingredient),and production of Bramleys used 13.6 kilos per hectare. Cox-growing involved an average of 35 separate pesticide applications, and Bramleys 32. [4]

Commenting, FOE food campaigner Pete Riley said:
"Of course fruit - including apples - is an essential part of a healthy diet. But we are exposing our kids to unnecessary risk by tolerating the grossly excessive use of pesticides in fruit-growing. We want the Government to act now to cut pesticide residues to zero, and to encourage organic fruit growing. The Government has had to issue advice to parents to peel fruit, but has so far been too embarrassed to ensure that it is properly publicised."

Notes to Editors

1.The Working Party on Pesticide Residues Annual Report 1997. Published September 1998.

2. MAFF Food Safety Information Bulletin March 1997

3.Carbamate insecticides were found in 10% of samples (UK and imported), including carbaryl and pirimicarb. Organophosphorus insecticides were found in 38% of samples, including chlorpyrifos, diazinon, dimethoate and phosalone.

Both carbamates and organophosphates [OPs] can damage the nervous system. US evidence on the health effects of repeated exposure to OPs in small doses suggests that adults and children exposed suffer a range of symptoms from headaches to multiple chemical sensitivity. The damage caused by low level exposure to OPs is still disputed in the UK,following an inconclusive report to Ministers in 1998 (Pesticide News No 41 September 1998:Chlorpyrifos Fact Sheet).

4.MAFF Pesticide Usage Survey Report 142: Orchards and Fruit Stores in Great Britain 1996.
5. There are currently 511 hectares of organic orchards (all fruits ) in the UK. Government support is only available for converting land to organic use, not to allow time for new trees to grow.

6.Apple Day, 21st October 1998, is promoted by the charity Common Ground, PO BOX 25309 NW5 1ZA

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust